Afghanistan has effectively legalised domestic violence by changing a law so it will become impossible for anyone to testify against relatives.

The legislation would allow men to attack their wives, children and sisters without the fear of punishment.

It would ban relatives of the accused from bringing evidence against them.

The change to the law has been passed by parliament but still has to be officially signed off by president Hamid Karzai.

Afghanistan brought in the Elimination of Violence Against Women law in August 2009.

The law criminalised child marriage, selling and buying women to settle disputes, assault and other acts of violence and abuse against women.

President Karzai will now have to decide whether to bring the law into effect.

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