Afghan journalist granted appeal against death sentence

by Jacquie Bowser Brand Republic 16-Apr-08, 11:15

LONDON - Afghan journalism student Sayed Parwez Kambakhsh, who was sentenced to death in January after being found guilty of insulting Islam, has been granted an appeal.

Kambakhsh was transferred on March 28 from prison in the remote province of Balkh, in northern Afghanistan, to the capital, Kabul, according to Bloomberg, which quoted Jean MacKenzie, program director in Afghanistan for the Institute for War & Peace Reporting.

According to Bloomberg, Afghan government officials are believed to have promised to free Kambakhsh, in what some are calling a political move following protests outside and within Afghanistan, which made local citizens aware of the case.

MacKenzie told Bloomberg: "Privately, sources in the government have assured the family that Parwez will be released, but the family are not yet certain of that."

Kambakhsh, who works as a journalist at the Jahan-e-Naw newspaper in Mazar-i-Sharif and is a student at Balkh University, was arrested in October last year for downloading and distributing anti-Islamic propaganda.

He reportedly took the downloaded paper to school to discuss it with his teacher and classmates. Several students allegedly complained to the government, leading to Kambaksh's arrest. Kambakhsh was then found guilty and sentenced to death.

However, in February a senior Afghan government offical said Kambakhsh would not face execution.

Najib Manalai said at the time: "I am not worried for his life. I'm sure Afghanistan's justice system will find the best way to avoid this sentence."

International campaigns were set up to protest against Kambakhsh's death sentence. Thousands of people signed a petition online at the Independent and more than 1,300 people joined the Defend Sayad Parwez Kambaksh Facebook group.