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Afghanistan

Two Death Sentences, Two Reprieves

Abdul Hamid, 55, is a civil servant and Nassima, 40, is a housewife. They married when Nassima was 15 years old. They live in Mazar-i-Sharif and have ten children and eight grandchildren.

Mohammed Achter Akbary

Abdul Hamid and his wife Nassima with some of their children.

We're related to each other and often used to play together. Our gazes met often. At some point we fell in love. Abdul Hamid's parents then made a talabgari –- a proposal. After Nassima and her family had approved, we celebrated with a lot of presents and sweets. In the six months before the wedding, we weren't allowed to see each other.

What do you love about him / her?

We love each other's faithfulness.

What does love mean to you?

Infinite faithfulness to each other, no matter what happens. That's what love is.

What was the longest time you were separated from one another?

That happened very, very often. Shortly after our wedding, Abdul Hamid had to fight in the war against the Soviets. Then the Afghan Islamic organization "Jamia al-Islamiya" accused him of having allied himself with the Russians because he'd come into contact with them via the Office of Agriculture. He was put in prison for half a year and sentenced to death. But then he was saved from the gallows by a friend. Next, the Russians arrested him for treason and he landed in prison again, but not for very long. After that, our children arrived – and so did the Taliban. Abdul Hamid was sentenced to death again – by the Taliban, who accused him of lying to them. They had already placed the rope around his neck when he was saved by his 90-year old mother, who begged for mercy. Who else could have fed his ten children?

What do you wish for?

Continued health, love and faithfulness for one another and for our family.

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