Pakistani Court Confirms Death Sentence for Two Men Who Gang-Raped French Mother Before Her Children

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has dismissed the appeal of Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali, upholding their death sentences by hanging. The pair were convicted in March 2021 of kidnapping, robbery, terrorism offences and the gang rape of a French tourist on the Sialkot–Lahore Motorway on September 9, 2020. The victim, stranded with her three young children after running out of fuel, was attacked at gunpoint when the attackers broke into her car. After fleeing with her money, jewellery and bank cards, the suspects were tracked down through mobile data and DNA evidence. During the trial, the survivor identified the men and one of the accused even confessed under questioning. The case sparked widespread outrage and protests in Pakistan, especially after a senior officer blamed the woman for travelling late with her children. Human rights activists had called for tougher penalties for rape, and the court’s decision to maintain the death penalty comes amid growing demands for justice in gender-based violence cases.

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