Kabul woman mob killing: Afghan court quashes death sentences of four accused

Kabul: In what is set to evoke a worldwide condemnation, a court in Afghanistan has quashed the death sentences handed to four men accused of lynching a 28-year-old woman to death in Kabul in March.

The decision of revoking the death sentence was taken by an appeals court in a secret hearing, reported the BBC. The court also acquitted the keeper of the shrine Omran, who was the one to incite the mob to kill Farkhunda after she had argued with him, adds the BBC report.

28-year-old Farkhunda, who was falsely accused of burning the holy Quran, was thrashed black and blue, stamped at, stoned and run over by a car before being burnt.

Farkhunda's murder by a frenzied death came after she was reportedly embroiled in an argument with a mullah over his practice of selling charms to women at a shrine.

During the course of the argument, the mullah accused her of having burnt the holy Quran which incited a mob that lynched her to death.

Eight were given jail terms and four sentenced to death for Farkhunda's mob killing. However, after an appeals court quashed the death sentences, women activists in Afghanistan are outraged.

Here are few reactions on Twitter:

Farkhunda is a contemporary case study of the brutality & injustice each average Afghan citizen, man & woman, face in current Afghan culture — Fereshta Kazemi (@FereshtaKazemi) July 2, 2015

No justice for #Farkhunda? Today in Kabul after a secret hearing death sentences are reversed and one more acquittal. http://t.co/LhJKwjihcD — Shannon Galpin (@sgalpin) July 2, 2015

Wow, Unbelievable. Lik all things in Afghanistan last 35Years, culture made sure Farkhunda's humanity was degraded — Fereshta Kazemi (@FereshtaKazemi) July 2, 2015

Farkhunda's case couldn't actually be done justly bec the very system is embedded with anti-women structures & men. — WazhmaFrogh Zulfiqar (@FroghWazhma) July 1, 2015