Death For Blasphemy In Afghanistan

A student "journalist" named Pervez Kambaksh age 23 was convicted last week of blasphemy in Afghanistan and sentenced to death. The sentence has been decried by The United Nations, NGO groups, and the United States. Yesterday many members of the Afghan Parliament have upheld this sentence and called for it. This 23 year old could be murdered for what we in civilized countries take for granted --- our right to question or criticize religion or or government. Mr. Kambaksh has been accused and convicted of insulting Islam by being critical of Mohammad. The decision is not final and it has been pointed out by a legal expert that the Afghan Parliament is acting unconstitutionally by even undertaking this question much less by signing such a statement.

"The Afghan government has said that the sentence was not final.

A government spokesman said recently that the case would be handled "very carefully".

Now the Afghan Senate has issued a statement on the case - it was not voted on but was signed by its leader, Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, an ally of President Hamid Karzai.

It said the upper house approved the death sentence conferred on Mr Kambaksh by a city court in Mazar-e-Sharif."

Please read the rest at BBC News
Please pray for this young man and I will try to find a picture of him.

mypetjawa has more on this story in the January archive under the title of Good News: "Moderate" Regime in Afgahanistan Sentences Student to Death for Blasphemy

Please sign the petition that has been started to free this young man available here