NUR SİRİB

Yemen – 30-year-old Yasmin Rafihi lived in the Lahij city of Yemen. After the death of her father, she wanted to marry a man living in Adel city but she was rejected by her family members. Thereupon, she left her house to marry the man she loved but then she was accused of adultery and an arrest warrant was issued against her. When she was arrested she was four months pregnant and she had a miscarriage due to bad situations in prison. She and her boyfriend endured 100 lashes after being found guilty of adultery. She was then delivered to her family but there has been no news from her since then.

Her family reported to police that Yasmin ran away from home while Yemeni women believe that Yasmin was killed and secretly buried. Women’s rights activists published a letter titled, “Don’t kill Yasmin!” to find her.

“We are killed under the name of honor”

Marina Kemal, a women’s rights activist in Yemen, called for solidarity to find Yasmin. “Yasmin's situation is like the situation of all other women who have been tortured and abused in Yemen. We are killed under the name of honor. This is a crime and women’s rights violation. Victims are kidnapped, battered, and killed. Women have no right to stand up or ask anyone for help because laws are prepared for men. We should stand by Yasmin because there is a crime against humanity,” Marina Kemal said.

“Laws don’t protect women”

Yemeni human rights lawyer and activist Huda al-Sarari drew attention to similar cases and said, “A woman cannot get married without taking permission of a family member or male guardian because if a woman decides to get married, it is a sin in the laws. Women are often killed by their father or one of their family members due to the lack of legal and social protection mechanisms. The laws don’t protect women and guarantee their rights.”