Karzai vows to change Afghan marital rape law

September 18th, 2009 CIA director: Karzai appears to have wonWASHINGTON — CIA Director Leon Panetta says Afghan President Hamid Karzai appears to have won re-election despite charges of fraud and corruption in the vote. Panetta said in an interview with Voice of America radio taped Wednesday that Karzai appears to have enough votes to carry the election even after fraudulent votes are eliminated.

September 7th, 2009 Karzai says US 'attacking' him over electionPARIS — Afghan President Hamid Karzai says in an interview published in France that the United States is attacking him because it wants to him to be more "docile." Karzai's re-election bid has faced controversy over alleged fraud. Le Figaro newspaper quotes him as saying that fraud is "inevitable in a budding democracy." He says Americans who are "attacking Karzai secretly" are wrong to do so — and it's in no one's interest for the Afghan president to be a U.S.

September 2nd, 2009 Karzai extends lead in Afghan election with 47 pctKABUL — Afghanistan's election commission says President Hamid Karzai is moving closer to the 50 percent threshold that would allow him to avoid a run-off in the country's presidential election. In results released Wednesday, Karzai has 47.3 percent of votes counted while top challenger Abdullah Abdullah has 32.6 percent.

August 31st, 2009 Karzai keeps big lead in new Afghan vote resultsKABUL — Afghanistan's election commission says President Hamid Karzai still has a big lead with ballots now counted from almost half the country's voting stations. In the latest results released Monday, Karzai has 45.8 percent of votes counted, while top challenger Abdullah Abdullah has 33.2 percent.

August 29th, 2009 Karzai increases lead to 46 pct in Afghan electionKABUL — President Hamid Karzai widened his lead in Afghanistan's presidential race as new vote tallies were released Saturday, inching closer to the 50 percent threshold of votes he needs to avoid a run-off. As Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission slowly releases partial results from the Aug.

August 13th, 2009 Karzai orders Afghan forces election cease-fireKABUL — Afghanistan's president says he's ordering Afghan security forces to observe a cease-fire during the upcoming election day. Hamid Karzai also demanded Taliban fighters not carry out violence during next Thursday's vote.

July 24th, 2009 KABUL - Afghanistan's former Foreign Minister, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, has emerged as a serious challenger to President Hamid Karzai, who is bidding for a second consecutive term in office.

July 10th, 2009 KABUL - The Afghanistan Government has revised a law that drew international condemnation for condoning marital rape, but the reformed version still requires a woman to satisfy her husband's sexual desires, The Telegraph reports. The law governing family relations for Afghanistan's Shia minority triggered protests and widespread indignation when it was passed in March.

July 9th, 2009 KABUL — Afghanistan's government has revised a marriage law that sparked an international outcry over sections that appeared to legalize marital rape, Justice Ministry officials said Thursday. President Hamid Karzai signed the original law in March but quickly suspended enforcement after governments around the world condemned the legislation.

May 6th, 2009 Afghan president orders probe into US actionKABUL — President Hamid Karzai has ordered a probe into allegations that more than 30 civilians died in a U.S.-led bombing in western Afghanistan. Karzai said in a statement that Afghan and U.S.-led coalition officials headed to Farah province Wednesday to investigate the incident.

April 28th, 2009 KABUL - Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has bowed to international pressure by promising to amend a new law condoning marital rape and child marriage that provoked violent clashes in the Afghan capital. The Shia Family Law, signed by Karzai last month, appeared to reintroduce the draconian policies of the Taleban era, such as a ban on married women leaving their homes without their husbands' permission.

April 27th, 2009 Afghan president promises change in marriage lawKABUL — Afghan President Hamid Karzai vowed Monday to change a law critics say legalizes marital rape to remove concerns that it violates human rights. The law, which sparked an international outcry after it was signed last month, says a husband can demand sex with his wife every four days unless she is ill or would be harmed by intercourse.

April 4th, 2009 KABUL - Facing strong criticism from the international community over his sanction of a new law that allows men to rape their wives legally, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has said he would order a review of it and possibly send back to parliament if it was found that women's rights are being violated. According to the Daily Express, Karzai said he had ordered the Justice Ministry to review the law and if anything in it contravened the country's constitution or sharia law "measures will be taken".

March 31st, 2009 KABUL - Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has signed a law which "legalises" rape, women's groups and the United Nations warn. Critics claim that Karzai helped rush the bill through parliament in a bid to appease Islamic fundamentalists ahead of elections in August.

March 27th, 2009 KABUL - Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has said that accounts of widespread corruption within his government are exaggerated and politically motivated. Government figures, including relatives of Karzai, have been accused of abusing their connections for profit.