PUL-I-KHUMRI (SW): The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has noted a significant rise in the ‘Bacha Bazi’ following surge in violence in the northeast of the country.
‘Bacha Bazi’ is a slang term in Afghanistan for a wide variety of activities involving sexual relations between older men and younger adolescent men, or boys. Hayatullah Amiri, Head of the AIHRC in the north of the country told Salam Watandar that more and more young men and boys are falling prey to this social stigma. He added that it is absolutely important now for the relevant law enforcement agencies to hold the responsible persons accountable and resolve this issue for good.
Commenting about this report on the surge of ‘Bacha Bazi’, Zabehullah Shujah, spokesman for the police headquarters in Baghlan province, said that the police across the province have been directed to arrest all found guilty on the charges of ‘Bacha Bazi’.
Backing the calls for actions against this evil practice, religious scholars in the province stressed that those involved in such immoral acts are deemed to receive stern punishment. Mawlawi Subhanullah, one of the religious leaders in the province said though there is no direct reference to ‘Bacha Bazi’ in the law but those found guilty are charged with ‘Moral Corruption’ clauses.
Pointing to the same issue, the AIHRC in the northern parts of the country stressed upon the need for incorporating punishment in the law exclusively for the ‘Bacha Bazi’ so that the spread of this social evil is halted.
ENDS
