The Kelantan government has confirmed that provisions will be introduced under hudud in Kelantan for the position of Muslim women who become pregnant after being raped as well as those sodomised by their husbands.

Deputy Menteri Besar Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said these were some of the changes to be provided for when the state government tables an amendment to the Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II 1993 (hudud), the New Straits Times reported today.

The clarification was necessary so that single women who became pregnant after they were raped were not victimised under hudud.

“We have read about abuses in other countries when rape victims are charged with ‘zina’ (illicit sex). We do not want this to happen here,” he told the English daily.

Under the existing enactment, there is a provision on zina, but the enactment is silent on rape victims who become pregnant.

Meanwhile, Nik Amar, who is also chairperson of the state technical committee on hudud, said the other major amendment involved the position of husbands who sodomised their wives.

Under the present enactment, sodomy is classified as an unnatural sexual act between a man and another man or between a man and a woman other than his wife.

“This gives the impression that the husband who sodomises his wife will go scot-free. But the amendment will provide specifically for the husband to be charged under ‘takzir’ (punishment based on the discretion of the judge),” Nik Amar said.

Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob announced on Sunday that the state government will hold a special state assembly sitting on Dec 29 to speed up hudud implementation in the state.

Ahmad said the amendment was part of the procedure by the state government before tabling a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament to seek approval for Kelantan to enforce hudud.