The lashes were ordered after she confessed to having pre-marital sex with another man.
The teen was also ordered to spend eight months under house arrest. The flogging will commence when she reaches the age of 18. The sentence demonstrates the increasingly conservative interpretations of Islam that have influenced the archipelago in recent years.
The teenager was also impregnated by her father and gave birth to his child. He allegedly killed his offspring, and buried the baby outside their home. If convicted, he’ll face 25 years in jail.
“She is not going to be lashed to cause her pain,” a government spokesman told AFP. “Rather, it is for her to feel the shame for having engaged in activity forbidden by the religion.”
International organisations have condemned the sentence. Abbas Faiz, a researcher for Amnesty International, said the incident was “an absolute outrage,” adding, “Victims of rape or other forms of sexual abuse should be given counselling and support – not charged with a crime.”
Farah Faizal, the Maldives former High Commissioner in London, told the Independent the sentence was a “farce”, adding, “the government can easily change the law with a clear majority in parliament so other girls in similar situations do not have to face this humiliation again.”
