In passing a landmark judgment, an Afghan court used DNA evidence to convict a man for repeatedly raping his daughter for more than 10 years, bearing two children.
The victim herself was challenged in court when the father denied all charges during trial, claiming his daughter had extramarital relationships with other men. The court then allowed for DNA evidence to be presented, which is extremely rare in Afghanistan. The victim also received support from the media and women’s rights groups.
According to reports, there are virtually no facilities for genetic forensic testing in Afghanistan, thus requiring foreign assistance. A committee of officials from the attorney general’s office and the interior ministry took on the task to take blood and saliva samples and transfer them to the US via Bagram airbase.
The results eventually showed that the victim’s father was indeed the father of her children too. The judge has sentenced him to death, but he is appealing the decision.
