Muhammad Ismail/Reuters
A court in Afghanistan wasted no time convicting and sentencing seven men to death for their roles in the gang rape of a group of women late last month, in a case that has gripped the nation for weeks and prompted protests. The four women—one of whom was pregnant—were returning with their husbands from a wedding in Paghman, Kabul Province, when they were robbed, beaten and raped. The court took just a few hours to convict and sentence the defendants on Sunday. President Hamid Karzai has said he wants the men executed, indicating he will likely sign the death warrants. Unusually, the men were convicted not of rape, but of adultery and robbery—also capital offenses in the country. Three other suspects have been identified in the case, but not yet arrested.