Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Downloading: Punishable by death?

Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan Appeal
January 17, 2008

Galileos are still being interrogated in the disastrous courts of ignorance
Young Galileos are crying
Oh You! Darkness lovers:
We will not be frightened of burns and fires
We are the everlasting flames of history
Sirus Tabristani, an Iranian Poet

The criminals who are in power in Afghanistan have imprisoned Parwiz Kambakhsh, a young journalist, since October 2007 in Balkh province - Northern Afghanistan. He is threatened to be hanged by the dark-minded and ignorant judges in the medieval courts of Afghanistan. The accusations are so ridiculous and injudicious that they make any freedom-loving person want to stand and say enough is enough. 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!

In a country where for the last six years there are many claims regarding “democracy”, “human rights”, and “freedom of press”, the religious fascists have their grip on justice and try every possible way to mute anyone who criticizes or comments about the Northern Alliance criminals.

Imprisonment of Parwiz Kambakhsh is not only for his enlightening articles in a local newspaper, Jahan-e-Now (The New World), but also because of his brother Yaqub Ibrahimi, who is a well-known, brave and realistic reporter and exposed many criminal faces from Jehadi mafia in Northern Afghanistan to the world public.

The Jehadi criminals, who could not silence Ibrahimi, now try to pursue a traitorous agenda by unlawfully imprisoning his brother in order to hush him.

The Religious Scholars Council of Balkh province who have never condemned the criminal acts of the fundamentalist warlords in the north, now disgracefully issued a verdict for the execution of Parwiz Kambakhsh.

Above everything, the shocking detention of Mr. Kambakhsh is a great disgrace for Mr. Karzai and his Western patrons who decorated the notorious criminals in pants and ties and brought them in power under the guise of “democrats”. Now Mr. Karzai says he is not as powerful to control them.

Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) kindly asks all freedom-loving individuals and organizations who believe in human rights and democracy to stand up against the unjust imprisonment of Parwiz Kambakhsh, and ask for his immediate release. Only your strong support for justice and freedom can stop the mediaeval acts of the Afghan government and its allies, which are in the style of the brutal Iranian regime.

Please email your protest letters to:

Presidential Office:
president@afghanistangov.org

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
spokesman-unama@un.org

The Supreme Court of Afghanistan
aquddus@supremecourt.gov.af

You may also send protest letters to Afghan embassy in your country.Maryam Namazie

15 comments:

Mad Zionist said...

Islam is as islam does. Look, we see this crap everywhere that islam holds majority rule. This is just more proof that political wars do not solve religious problems. Islam is still the problem in Afghanistan, just as it was before, and remains the problem everywhere else it is empowered.

Craig Bardo said...

Off topic but...

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1555965

sonia said...

Considering that the only alternative to the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan is the Taliban, I would say it's pretty much a hopeless cause.

Anonymous said...

Sonia: I would absolutely love to (finally) agree with you but well...Afghanistan is NOT a lost cause. The Northern Alliance like the Taliban is corrupt from within, but having recently finished reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and "The Kite Runner", I'm of the understanding that there are many talented, moderate individuals in Afghanistan. There will come a time(G-d willing) when these good people (who are also Muslims for MZ's notice;) rise up against the corruption.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Ren,

I'm a bit shocked to see a leftist advocating the intellectual freedom, but I welcome it. Every little bit helps.

Frank Partisan said...

CB: I don't have the whole picture of what is happening in Venezuela. Everyday I read something conflicting. I'm going to an event sponsored by the embassy. I'm interested in what they are saying.

---------

The execution is being appealed to Karzai.

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Going back to 2001, feminists were recruited, to support the war drive in Afghanistan. This was ti "liberate" women.

An element of US propaganda used to justify the invasion was the claim that it would end discrimination against women that prevailed under the Taliban’s Islamic fundamentalist regime. While some changes have taken place, discrimination is still widespread particularly outside the urban centres. The estimated literacy rate for women is only 12.6 percent, down from 15 percent in 2001. Child marriages and forced marriages are widespread.

Female enrolment rates at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels are about half those for males. Women and girls in rural areas have particularly limited educational opportunities, partly because of the lack of female teachers, who comprise only 28 percent of the teaching force.


Eitan: You have people like Karzai's brother, controlling the drug trade. That is the backbone of the government.

I think the movie 'The Kite Runner," was way underrated,

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Ren,

Here's a website you might like to add to your favorites.

It's an internet cache / search tool of what various national governments are "officially" saying to and about each other.

Very handy.

Anonymous said...

Ren: somehow, I still believe the better aspects of Afghan society can overcome the worse. I didn't see the movie but it's on my to-see list for sure!

Frank Partisan said...

Eitan: The drug trade fuels everything.

Maybe if the Pakistani army was told the Taliban are Hindu, something might change.

Actually socialism in Pakistan, would change Afghanistan and Iran.

roman said...

Mr.Parwiz Kambakhsh does look like a victim of the old religious establishment's hold on cultural matters that pre-date even the Taliban. Only a large scale effort at education and access to a free exchange of information will bring positive change. Political change is not enough as it invariably brings to power regimes approved by the previous regimes.

Aaron A. said...

I'll defiantly be sending my letter, but, much like those on the other "side" who were in custody for having a copy of anything by Sayyid Qutb, the "Islam is as Islam does" sentiment is amusing.

Its sad, but his "enlightening articles" and his brother's mafia exposé were the content; the article about women's rights was just the filler. It seems no one (on either "side"), really cares about advancing women's rights in Afghanistan.

troutsky said...

I want to believe with Eitan that a moderate sector exists which needs support but obviously the decades of violence have only strengthened extremists. Religious society is a bad concept when hoping for rational outcomes.But Ill write.

Graeme said...

Makes you wish for those people Charlie Wilson kicked out huh?

I'm sending a harshly worded letter.

sonia said...

Eitan,

these good people (...) rise up against the corruption.,

You don't get it. It's the Taliban who are rising against corruption, and that's why they are evil.

Corruption might be ugly, but it's way better than totalitarian oppression.

Graeme,

Makes you wish for those people Charlie Wilson kicked out huh?

Interesting perspective. Using the same measure, you could also say that the people of Congo wish for those people who were running their country under Belgian colonial rule.

People whose brains are splatting on the pavement often look with nostalgia at the "good, old times" when they were flying out the window...

Anonymous said...

Sonia: interesting. I'll need to think about it but I realize what you're saying. Having read the two books I alluded to earlier, it seems that only America can improve life in Afghanistan. That's why the troops should stay as long as possible.