Two men convicted for a high-profile gang rape of a French-Pakistani woman outside Lahore, Pakistan, are to be executed after their appeals were rejected by the court. The decision was announced by the Lahore High Court on Wednesday and means that the previously imposed death sentences remain in force.

The attack occurred in September 2020 when the woman, who was on her way from Lahore to Sialkot with her three children, was stranded on the motorway after her car ran out of fuel. According to the investigation, the two men smashed a window, dragged the woman out of the car at gunpoint, and raped her in front of her children. They then stole cash, jewelry, and other valuables before leaving the scene.

The two perpetrators were arrested shortly after the attack. Police were able to link them to the crime through, among other things, DNA evidence, mobile phone data, and confiscated items. An anti-terrorism court convicted the men in 2021 for gang rape, kidnapping, robbery, and terrorism-related offenses. In addition to the death penalty, they also received lengthy prison sentences for several of the crimes.

In their appeals, the convicted men tried to have their sentences overturned, but the appellate court ruled that the evidence against them was overwhelming. Thus, the death sentences remain, and the legal possibilities for changes have been significantly reduced.

Large Protests

The case sparked widespread anger in Pakistan and led to extensive protests across the country. The incident highlighted women’s safety and rights, while the debate intensified after a senior police official was criticized for statements perceived as partly blaming the victim.

The protests also contributed to increased political pressure for tougher measures against sexual crimes and better protection for women.

The motorway rape became one of the most high-profile criminal cases in Pakistan’s modern history and has frequently been referenced in recent years in discussions about the justice system, women’s safety, and the use of the death penalty in the country.

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