US official: Pakistan has seized gang-rape victim Mai’s passport News
US official: Pakistan has seized gang-rape victim Mai’s passport

[JURIST] In a swift reversal from its announcement last week, the Pakistani government has taken away the passport of gang-rape victim Mukhtar Mai [BBC profile], according to an official from the US State Department speaking Tuesday. The official, who asked not to be named because of sensitive US-Pakistan relations, said Pakistan has taken possesion of Mai's passport just days after it had announced that she was free to travel [JURIST report] outside the country. A State Department spokesman declined to confirm the report but reaffirmed the US position that Mai should be free to travel. Mai, the victim of a gang-rape ordered by a village council, sought to leave Pakistan after 12 men involved in the case were freed [JURIST report]. Reuters has more.