A French woman who was allegedly held captive and abused by her husband for more than a decade has been rescued by police in Pakistan. Sylvie Yasmina, 54, and her five children were rescued earlier this week from a mud-brick home in Bara, a remote town in Pakistan's north-west Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, local police said.
Rescue and Arrest
Ms Yasmina’s husband, Ahmad Khan, has been arrested and investigations are under way. District police chief Waqar Ahmad told The Associated Press that Ms Yasmina and her children were found in a dilapidated room and that she had visible signs of injuries on her face. She alleged that her husband physically and psychologically abused her and described him as "very violent", police said.
She and her children were rescued after one of her sons managed to leave the house and reach the local police station, police said. The six have been taken to a women’s shelter in Peshawar for protection.
Plans for Repatriation
Police said Ms Yasmina plans to return to France and that authorities are coordinating with relevant officials and the French embassy regarding her repatriation. There was no immediate comment from the French embassy. Ms Yasmina told investigators that she had been unable to live freely since moving to Pakistan in 2014. Mr Ahmad said her children were never enrolled in school.
In a video recorded by police and shared with the media, Ms Yasmina spoke in a mix of English and Pashto, thanking officers for rescuing her and reiterating her wish to return to France.
Reaction from Rights Groups
Shabina Ayaz, director of a rights group, Aurat Foundation, condemned the alleged treatment of Ms Yasmina and said she hoped that the French embassy and Pakistani authorities would provide the family with all possible assistance, saying the case should serve as a wake-up call for authorities and society. Human rights groups say hundreds of women report physical and psychological abuse at the hands of their husbands and other family members each year in Pakistan, although many cases are believed to go unreported.
