Fick just nedanstående mail.
En ung muslimsk journalist behöver akut världens uppmärksamhet.... En otäck påminnelse om att yttrandefrihet om religiösa företeelser inte är självklart.
Kommer genast att skriva till presidenten - hoppas att fler gör likadant. (Jag skriver även till Amnesty i Sverige - ifall de inte skulle ha fått info redan.)
Det vore också bra om media kunde uppmärksamma detta!
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23 Year Old Journalist Sentenced to Death for Criticizing Islam
Three weeks ago, Sayad Parwez Kambaksh, a journalist for the Jahan-I-Naw newspaper, was sentenced to death by a court in Mazar-I-Sharif , Afghanistan . His crime? Distributing documents that criticize Islam.
Sayad’s trial was not open to the public, the press, or to members of his family. In addition, the court would not allow Sayad to be represented by an attorney. Sayad obtained several documents from the internet which the Afghan religious establishment found offensive. These documents questioned the divine origins of the Koran and statements regarding the rights of women and were distributed to journalism students of Balkh University. Upon discovering Sayad’s activities, several students denounced him to Afghan authorities. Sayad was subsequently arrested.
Several members of a powerful group of Islamic clerics have vigorously lobbied against Sayad, demanding his death for distributing these allegedly heretical documents. In addition, they set up a demonstration in Mazar-I-Sharif demanding Sayad’s imprisonment and punishment.
In order to smash the efforts of the Afghan journalism community to help Sayad, prosecutor Hafiz Khaliqyar threatened journalists operating in Afghanistan with imprisonment if they attempted to aid the condemned 23 year-old journalist. While Afghan law does not directly call for execution for criticizing Islam, Article 130 of the Afghan constitution allows a court to base its decision on Hanafi jurisprudence (Orthodox Sunni legalism), if no statutory precedent exists.
The Institute for War and Peace Reporting has issued a statement stating that Sayad’s brother, journalist Sayed Yaqub Ibrahimi, is the real target of the Afghan authorities’ vicious treatment of Sayad.
Ibrahimi’s articles have been highly critical of the activities of Afghan warlords, many of whom receive substantial amounts of money from the United States government. These activities include drug smuggling, murder, kidnapping, rampant violence, and child-trafficking and sexual abuse.
There is still time to act on Sayad’s behalf. Afghan law requires that Sayad’s case be heard by two appellate courts. However, Afghan law handles death penalty cases with extraordinary speed. Sayad was detained back in October 2007 and condemned to death in January 2008. There is very little time left before the appellate process has been exhausted and Sayad faces certain execution.
Repressive regimes generally dislike world exposure of their nefarious activities. Public exposure of one malicious act by the allegedly benign replacement to the evil Taliban regime can bring some pressure upon it to make a very small change.
In this case, we are calling for the pardon and release of Sayad Parwez Kambaksh. A single email or letter will make no difference in the fight to save Sayad’s life. Several hundred messages of support with pressure from international organizations could make enough difference to set Sayad free.
You are faced with a very important personal decision to make – a commitment to spend 30 minutes saving a human life or a commitment to spend 30 minutes staring at a TV.
There are several methods that could bring success in securing Sayad’s release. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, a former resident of the US , has the legal authority to pardon Sayad. A large amount of correspondence sent to President Karzai could make a difference.
A plethora of two minute emails sent to President Karzai’s email address is bound to get his attention. Several hundred written letters to President Karzai would add more pressure towards securing Sayad’s release. Correspondence to President Karzai can be sent to:
President Hamid Karzai
Gul Khana Palace
Presidential Palace
Kabul, Afghanistan
President@AfghanistanGov.Org
Of course, the President of any country must sift through mountains of communications on a daily basis. Mr. Karim Rahimi, the Spokesperson for President Karzai, could prove instrumental in freeing Sayad. Mr. Rahimi can be reached at the Presidential Palace in Kabul.
Amnesty International provides an extraordinary range of services in securing the release of political prisoners. Amnesty International can be contacted and urged to take Sayad’s case:
Amnesty International
5 Penn Plaza – 14th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Admin-US@AIUSA. Org
Please join me in spending 30 minutes to save a young man’s life.
GregEtiketter: dödsstraff, religion |
