Sayed Parwez Kambakhsh, a 23 year old journalist in Afghanistan, was sentenced to death for distributing information regarding the role of women in Islam. A three judge panel in Mazar-i- Sharif found Kambakhsh guilty of "distributing blasphemous material", BBC reports.
"According to...the Islamic law, Sayed Perwiz is sentenced to death at the first court," explained head of Balkh's court, Shamsur Rahman. "However, he will go through three more [appeal] courts to declare his last punishment."
Kambakhsh was arrested in October of last year after some of his university classmates said he was making fun of Islam and distributing an internet article that accused the Prophet Mohammad of ignoring women’s rights, according to Reuters.
International journalist organizations are appealing to the Afghan government to release Kambakhsh. Reporters Without Borders released a statement saying that his trial was "carried out in haste and without any concern for the law or free expression, which is protected by the constitution."
Media Resources: Reuters 01/23/08; BBC 01/23/08; Reporters Without Borders 01/22/2008
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