A law which protected rapists from punishment if they married their victims has been scrapped in Jordan, marking a major victory of women’s rights activists after years of campaigning.

The Jordanian cabinet on Sunday revoked Article 308 of the Penal Code, which states that rapists are spared from punishment or legal prosecution if they marry their victims and stay with them for five years, Gulf News reported.

Under the Penal Code, sexual intercourse with women aged 15 to 18 is also considered rape, Gulf News added.

Supporters of the article claimed that it is meant to protect the honour and reputation of the victim.

But, lawyers, activists and scholars have repeatedly called for eliminating the article and adopting better legal measures to protect victims of rape and harassment in Jordan.

Last year, the article was amended so a rapist could only use the loophole to marry the victim if the victim was aged between 15 and 18 and the attack was believed to have been consensual.

In spite of the recent amendment, people continued to campaign for the complete cancellation of the article.

Then in February, a royal committee suggested that the law be revoked in its entirety, which the cabinet has now done.

However, the cabinet’s decision still needs to pass the parliament for approval.

Jordan is not the only country to have such controversial law.

Countries in the region that retain such provisions include Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia, according to Human Rights Watch.

Source – Xinhua