By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
If it was possible to add another injustice levied against Farkhunda, a woman who suffered a brutal murder at the hands of a mob in Afghanistan that insisted she burned a Koran, authorities publicly announced she was in fact innocent of these claims.
In response to this outrage, a day of national morning occurred during her funeral and burial. Various leaders including Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned her murder as a heinous attack. Reports of police standing nearby and indifferent to the incident lead the president to call for fundamental reforms in the nation’s police forces.
We previously wrote of this horror in an article HERE.
The murder was merciless. A mob of approximately twenty seven beat Farkhunda to death then tossed her body from a rooftop, drove over her with a car, then immolated her before casting the remains into a river. This occurred just outside the Shah-Do Shamshira mosque.
The incident was recorded by cellphone video and broadcast from the Internet, horrifying many Afghans who then called for renewed actions for reforms and justice.
In attendance of Farkhunda’s funeral service, scores of politicians, activists and human rights advocates offered solidarity with Farkhunda and the cause to avenge justice on her behalf. The funeral was carried live on Afghan television. Breaking with tradition, an all female pallbearer regiment carried her casket to its resting place.
Video of the funeral may be watched HERE
Senior detectives assigned to the case declared that Farkhunda had not burned a Koran.
The attack reportedly occurred when Farkhunda entered into a dispute with amulet sellers at the Mosque. She believed the sellers to be “parasites” and recommended to women, friends, and family members not to waste their money on the sellers’ wares. According to her father, Mohammed Nadir, the men responded by accusing her of burning a Koran.
News Limited reports the Interior Ministry was providing extra protection for her family and stated:
The head of the ministry’s criminal investigation directorate, Gen. Mohammad Zahir, said 13 people had been arrested in connection with the killing, including two men who sold amulets. The Interior Ministry said 13 policemen had been suspended pending investigation.
Zahir said authorities were “unable to find any single iota of evidence to support claims that she had burned a Koran.”
“She is completely innocent,” he said.
Hopefully, in time some good and fundamental change will come from her tragic death.
By Darren Smith
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