Under-age rape law change welcomed

Women's rights activists are welcoming a proposal by the Moroccan justice minister to change a law that allows rapists to escape prosecution if they marry their under-age victims.

Fouzia Assouli, president of the Democratic League for Women's Rights, praised the move but warned that the entire penal code needs rewriting to stop violence against women.

Justice minister Mustapha Ramid announced a plan on Monday to remove the paragraph that says that someone accused of "kidnapping" or "corruption" of a girl under 18 would not be prosecuted if he married her.

Morocco was shocked last year by the suicide of 16-year-old Amina Filali after her family and a judge made her marry the man she said raped her.