Press Freedom
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Reporter Without Borders
Afghanistan 2006
H.E. Hamid Karzai
President
Office of the President
Kabul
Islamic State of Afghanistan
Fax: (011.93.2) 252-6340
Your Excellency:
As members of the Freedom of the Press Committee of the Overseas Press Club of America,we protest the treatment of Ali Mohaqiq Nasab, editor of Haqooql-i-Zan, the magazine covering women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Sentencing someone working in the public interest to two years in prison and threatening the person with execution are acts unworthy of your great country and in violation of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This episode is especially appalling in view of the sacrifices made by men and women from outside Afghanistan to help re-build your republic in the wake of severe repression by the Taliban, whose zeal was a disgrace to Islam.
The facts are known: Mr Mohaqiq Nasab wrote in defense of the rights of women to be heard in courts of law on an equal basis as men. He questioned the extreme penalties of amputation under Islamic law. A religious council, acting outside the media law of 2004, which you signed, condemned Mr Mohaqiq Nasab. It claimed that he insulted Islam. His trial was a mockery of justice; permitted no lawyer to advocate his rights and defend him against these charges, he was sentenced to prison.
We condemn this action and respectfully call upon you to speak out against such treatment.
Mr. President, from your visits to our country and your familiarity with our principles of law and justice, you must be aware that this case can not but harm Afghanistan ‘s position in the world. Please do whatever is in your power to reverse these inhumane actions.
Respectfully yours,
John Martin
Norman Schorr
Freedom of the Press Committee
cc:
Said Tayeb Jawad
Ambassador of Afghanistan to the U.S.A.
Embassy of the Islamic State of Afghanistan
2118 Kalorama Road NW
Washington , DC 20008
Fax: (202) 483-6488
Ambassador Ravan A.G. Farhadi
Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the Islamic State of Afghanistan
to the United Nations
360 Lexington Avenue
New York , NY 10017
Fax: (212) 972-1216
Zalmay Khalilzad
U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan
Embassy of the United States of America
The Great Masood Road , Kabul
Afghanistan
Fax: (011.93.2) 230-1364