A Pakistani court sentenced two men to death for a rape that generated public outrage.
Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali Bagga found a Franco-Pakistani woman and her two children trapped on a highway.
The men broke into the car, which ran out of gas on the road near Lahore, stole it and raped the woman in front of her children.
Subsequent comments from a police officer, who questioned why the woman had been alone until late, sparked mass protests.
On Saturday, a special court in the eastern city of Lahore convicted Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali for crimes of collective rape, kidnapping, theft and terrorism.
His lawyer said they would appeal the decision, according to AFP news agency.
What happened during the attack ‘?
On September 9, 2020, the woman – whose name has not been publicly released – ran out of fuel on a highway from Lahore. Her two children were with her.
She called her relatives in Gujranwala, who advised her to call the highway’s emergency numbers and also go out to help her.
According to the complaint filed with the police by one of the woman’s relatives, the car was broken into by two men between the ages of 30 and 30 who stole money and jewelry she was carrying. They raped her in front of her two children in a nearby camp and then fled.
Police say the woman was traumatized, although she did provide some basic descriptions of her attackers.
The next day, the most senior police officer in Lahore, Umer Sheikh, appeared in the media and hinted that she was partly to blame. He questioned why she hadn’t taken a busier road, since she was alone with her children, or checked her fuel before leaving.
In several TV appearances, he reiterated these points, also adding that the woman, who is a resident of France, appeared to be operating under the impression that Pakistan was as safe as France.
The reaction was like nothing seen in the country before and came from all quarters.
On social media, people accused him of blaming the victim.
Thousands of people across Pakistan also participated in protests, demanding justice and better protection for women in the country.
In December, new rape laws were passed, offering faster trials and tougher sentences.