India - August 2022

Eleven Hindu men who received life sentences for the 2002 gang rape of a Muslim woman and the murder of seven of her family members were granted early release from prison (after serving fourteen years) by the Gujarati state government on 15 August. The attacks took place during an outbreak of inter-religious violence in Gujarat in early 2002, during which officials said 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed. The decision triggered protests across India, and it has been appealed to the country’s Supreme Court. Critics of the decision allege that the case underscores the persistent challenges faced by Muslim women in India, who continue to be subject to discrimination and human rights violations.

Sources: Times of India, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera