EU raps Afghanistan over woman's lynching

(BRUSSELS) - The EU denounced Tuesday the dangers faced by women in Afghanistan and called for the attackers who lynched a woman who allegedly burned the Koran to be brought to justice.

Farkhunda, 27, was beaten, thrown from a roof and run over by a car outside a Kabul mosque in Kabul on March 19 before her body was set ablaze while several police looked on.

"The killing of Ms Farkhunda... is a tragic reminder of dangers women face from false accusations and the lack of justice in Afghanistan," a spokeswoman for European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

Afghan Interior Minister Noorul Haq Ulumi said Monday that Farkhunda, who was known by one name, had not in fact burnt a Koran and that she should have been protected.

Twenty-eight people have been arrested over the killing while 20 policemen have been detained and investigated over the reports that they did nothing to help.

"We all hope that (those) responsible can be brought to justice," the EU statement added.

The EU, which has contributed huge sums to rebuilding the war-torn nation and boosting security there, said it would keep pushing for an end to "all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls".

In Kabul on Tuesday, hundreds of protesters shouting "Down with ignorance!" urged the Afghan government to bring her killers to justice.