Thanks to public interests lawsuit plaintiffs Rihanna Dhapali and Sangita Magar, Nepal<\/a> now has a law that delivers justice to acid attack victims.<\/p>\n With a lot of buzz around the newly introduced criminal code on August 17, 2018, the law concerning acid attacks comes as a huge relief.<\/p>\n The new law specifies that the culprits are sentenced to five to eight years of jail and have to pay a hefty fine ranging from Rs 100,000 to Rs 500,000.<\/p>\n Burn victims will also be entitled to treatment costs according to the new law.<\/p>\n Magar\u2019s case also led the Nepal Supreme Court to order that the distribution of acid be regulated which until now is freely available at stores for agricultural and manufacturing usage.<\/p>\n Sital Kalantry, a human rights researcher and professor says that more attacks are found around locations that use a lot of acid in the industry and where guns aren\u2019t easily available.<\/p>\n Case at Hand:<\/strong> Dhapali, a victim of domestic violence was devastated after she lost her child and suffered life-long injuries after her husband and mother-in-law burned her.<\/p>\n Magar became a victim of rivalry between two men that led her to the state she is in now.<\/p>\n Both their cases paved way for the law that will now effectively work to reduce such crimes.<\/p>\n Statistics:<\/strong><\/p>\n “The underlying problem is the fundamental devaluation of women and girls,” says Jessica Neuwirth<\/span>, Director, Donor Direct Action, an international women’s rights organization that supported Sangita Magar’s legal team in getting justice.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Before the introduction of the new law, a perpetrator in Nepal would be subject to an imprisonment of two months or a fine of about USD 10.<\/p>\n Fast-forward to today, the new laws are more stringent and have a slim chance of escape for criminals.<\/p>\n Also Read:<\/strong><\/p>\n Thanks to public interests lawsuit plaintiffs Rihanna Dhapali and Sangita Magar, Nepal now has a law…<\/span><\/p>\n
\nLeft mercilessly at the receiving end of brutality, Rihanna Dhapali and Sangita Magar\u2019s stories are nothing less than a nightmare for life.<\/p>\n\n
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