Afghan man stands up for women, gets arrested, is jailed, then threatened with death

January 17, 2008

Parwiz Kambakhsh | photo: courtest of RAWA

According to the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, Parwiz Kambakhsh is a young journalist who has been imprisoned since October 2007. Today, RAWA asks you to do something about it. “Only your strong support for justice and freedom can stop the mediaeval acts of the Afghan government and its allies.” No pressure or anything.

What’s so special about Parwiz Kambakhsh?

This media release explains why he is in trouble:

Mr. Kambakhsh is accused of printing/distributing an article from the Internet, which points out controversial verses of the Quran regarding women’s rights. The book Religion in the History of Civilization (by Will Durant) taken from his living room has been kept as an evidence against him in the court!

He faces possible hanging for his crimes.

The release includes contact information for the United Nations, as well as Afghan Prime Minister Hamid Karzai and the Supreme Court of Afghanistan. It also suggests that people get in touch with the Afghan embassy in their own countries.

So, here you go:

• Afghan Embassy, Ottawa
• Contact form and information
• Write: Embassy of Afghanistan, 240 Argyle Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 1B9
• Phone: (613) 563-4223 / 65
• Fax: (613) 563-4962

sources

Declare Your Strong Support for Immediate Release of Young Afghan Journalist Parwiz Kambakhsh, Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan | January 17, 2008
Journalists Under Attack in the North, Institute for War & Peace Reporting | December 11, 2007