6 Feb 2008 | News and features
Since October 2007, Sayed Parvez Kambaksh, a 23-year old Afghan journalist, has been in prison in Balkh province, Northern Afghanistan and sentenced to execution for blasphemy by a local Sharia court in Mazar-e-Sharif. His ‘crime’ was distributing articles downloaded from the internet that questioned the condition of women under Islam. The Afghan government has supported the Islamic court’s ruling.
On Thursday, 31 January, 200 people demonstrated for his freedom in Kabul. International public opinion and pressure must join them to save his life.
Join the demonstration in London on Friday, 8 February, 2008, 12.00 to 2.00 pm at the Afghanistan Embassy, 31 Princes Gate, London, SW7
5 Feb 2008 | Americas
Radio journalist Alejandro Rupay was assaulted during a live broadcast on 30 January. Rupay, a presenter with Radio FM 98 in the town of Tingo Maria, central Peru, was beaten and threatened after the brother of the district’s governor burst into the studio during transmission. Rupay was hit in the face and warned to “stop irritating the governor or worse will happen to you”. The assault occurred a week after Rupay had made comments alleging the governor had been involved in corruption.
Read more here
5 Feb 2008 | Africa, News and features
Mansour Dieng, editor of Senegalese magazine Icone, was arrested yesterday, 4 February, after publishing photographs of an alleged gay marriage. Five other men who featured in the pictures were also detained. Homosexuality is illegal in Senegal.
4 Feb 2008 | News and features
On 31 January, Amjad Mahmood, 29, and Shella Roma, 27, of Greater Manchester, were charged under the Terrorism Act 2006 for distributing material encouraging acts of terrorism. Both have been released on bail and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 12 February.
