In India, 11 people were sentenced to life imprisonment in the case of gang rape of a pregnant Muslim woman

The Gujarat violence, one of India’s worst religious riots, fueled the riots More than 1,000 people died, majority Muslims. Gujarat was then led by the current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who is still ruled by his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

A top Panchmahals official told Reuters that the District Jail Advisory Committee had recommended the release of the 11 in view of their jail time and good behaviour.

Abolition of punishment

“The truth is, they’re close 15 years in prison And they were nomination candidates,” said Sujal Jayantibhai Myatra. Indian law allows convicts to be released after 14 years in prison, officials said.

Media footage showed a man touching the feet of one of the convicts outside the prison and feeding them candy as a sign of respect.

The victim’s husband told Reuters it was disappointing that the riots had also killed several family members. “We lost our family and we wanted to live in peace, but suddenly this happened,” said Yaqub Rasool. “We have no prior information from the courts or the government about his release. We came to know only through the media,” he said.

Opposition politicians and lawyers said it ran counter to the government’s policy of empowering women in a country notorious for violence against women.

“It is morally and ethically wrong to vacate the convictions of the perpetrators of heinous crimes like gang-rape and murder,” said Chief Justice Anand Yagnik. “What’s the signal we’re trying to send?”