UN expert group says decriminalize adultery
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Human Rights Council established the working group in 2010
A UN expert group on women's rights is calling for countries to repeal laws that criminalize adultery.
It says that under some penal codes, women and men are not treated equally for the offence, with women sometimes receiving harsher sanctions including fines, imprisonment or being put to death.
Professor Frances Raday is vice-chair of the Working Group, which concluded its latest session in Geneva on Thursday.
"Good practice has been to decriminalize adultery altogether. In other words, the women should not stand trial for adultery and they should not be sentenced to fines, imprisonment and certainly not to death; that it is not enough to give a fair trial. This should not be a criminal offence."
(Duration: 22″)
The four experts add that depending on traditions, customs and legal systems, adultery also could have legal consequences in divorce cases.
They cited custody of children or the denial of alimony as examples.
