Afghan Student On Death Row For Reading Internet Article

Afghan Student On Death Row For Reading Internet Article

www.switched.com

A 23-year old student is being held on death row in Kabul for downloading an article on the role of women in Islam from the Internet.

While we wish this were a joke, but it isn't -- in a government backed by the U.S., in the year 2008, a young man is being executed for reading. The student claims to have been tortured, and many governments are pressuring the Afghani courts to pardon him because his trial appears to have been unfair.

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I am absolutely disgusted that any government could be so immersed in a religion like Islam that it could KILL somebody simply for reading an article. Not only was this man arrested for reading an article on the roll of women, but he was given a clearly unfair trial, the result of which will end his life. Sickening.

www.switched.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Wonder what the U.S. is gonna say about this.

They probably won't say anything because its not against human rights if the U.S. and her allies are doing it

Bang up job of spreading Democracy, really, just bang up.

This should be an insult to all Americans, whether you fell for the governments post 9/11 bs or not.

So the US/UK invade Afghanistan to install democracy, but then incidents like this still happen.

Things like this prove that there's no way we're in Afghanistan to promote democracy, equality and human rights.

So why are soldiers dying for this?

It's all for the oil. Nothing else.

Poor kid!

[edit on 5-9-2008 by Nammu]

Originally posted by Nammu
So the US/UK invade Afghanistan to install democracy, but then incidents like this still happen.

Things like this prove that there's no way we're in Afghanistan to promote democracy, equality and human rights.

So why are soldiers dying for this?

It's all for the oil. Nothing else.

Poor kid!

[edit on 5-9-2008 by Nammu]

I think what this actually proves is that the people of Afghanistan and other Islamic countries are in no way ready or willing to accept democracy, equality, or human rights.

Originally posted by sc2099

Originally posted by Nammu

I think what this actually proves is that the people of Afghanistan and other Islamic countries are in no way ready or willing to accept democracy, equality, or human rights.

That one cracked me up!

Well the western countries definetly did a good job showing them the path of democracy,equality or human rights!

We didn't use the democracy excuse in Afghanistan, it was to kill Bin Laden and the Teletubbies Taliban.

And I hate to state the obvious, but you can just as easily end up with the same fate by your choice of reading material in the US. Do a bunch of searches and downloads on terrorism and bomb making and you might just find out what it's like for this young man in an Afghan prison. But don't expect the press to find out about it, because your family will be punished if they mention you've been disappeared.

reply to post by mythatsabigprobe


Come on now. I'm in no way defending the USgov but you must admit that downloading bomb schematics and actual terrorist materials is a lot different than reading something about womens' role in Islam.

One is a percieved threat and one is a real one. Womens' roles changing is not the end of the world, but someone intending to blow some people up will certainly be the end of something. Womens' rights don't kill people, bombs kill people.

reply to post by sc2099


while i disagree with your opinion, "Women's rights don't kill people, bombs kill people" is the funniest thing i've read all day so i'm not going to argue the point.

Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe
I hate to state the obvious, but you can just as easily end up with the same fate by your choice of reading material in the US.

Sure, you can get into plenty of trouble with the gov for downloading bomb blueprints, but they're not gonna put you on death row for that.

Our attempt at bringing democracy to Afgahnistan was an epic fail.

Originally posted by sc2099
One is a percieved threat and one is a real one.

Actually, both are only perceived threats. The act of reading the literature is now equated to an act of terrorism in this country. Can't be true, right? But it is. There is no standard of proof that the government has to comply with, the mere suspicion that you may be plotting something is enough to have you in a CIA black prison and your whereabouts declared a matter of national security. You can be subjected to various forms of torture and denied any form of trial, your family can be threatened with imprisonment if they so much as tell anyone that the CIA/NSA or whatever took you away. Unfortunately, I'm not making this up.

not that i don't believe you, i do, but do you have any further links or corroboration to this effect?

reply to post by pieman


Sure, here's a video from the BBC. Embedding's disabled, sorry.

www.youtube.com...

thanks wildflowerr, i appreciate that. i was actually asking mythatsabigprobe though, i should have been more specific but i'm glad you posted the video, putting a face on the prisoner makes it even more poiniant that he is going to be killed.

Um, the article makes it sound like he is on death row for FOLLOWING Islam, not on death row BY Islam.

He was reading an article on "The role of women in Islam"

... uh... Islam wouldn't take offense to this... they'd praise it.

From how the article reads, he's on death row for wanting to know about Islam... which means, it's not Islam that's trying him.

Or is the article misprinted?

--Edit to add--

Yeah, I read more into it from other sources, looks like the OP Article is misleading... it IS Islam who is trying the boy.

Man... shows you how a few misplaced words can turn the story awry.



[edit on 5-9-2008 by johnsky]

No surprise, but I agree not much different than the U.S. Only difference is the what subject matter constitutes a crime.

People get prosecuted all the time in America for downloading movies and music that that violate copyrights. They get prosecuted for downloading the pictures that are deemed illegal.

Ideas that don't agree with the ideas and rules of who ever is in charge is illegal almost everywhere on our planet - nothing new - move along.

reply to post by sc2099


Heck if I was an Islamic terrorist, I behead you since you are reading about the womens' role in Islam which challenges my belief that women should be submersive to ME!! All four of my wives. I tend to make sure they stay stupid and ignorant and do what I say.

I cannot believe that this person is on death row for this. If he is being killed in the name of Islam then surely killing in the name of religion is the biggest sin of all !!

reply to post by verylowfrequency


yes, people in the US do get arrested for eg, viewing child pornography, or downloading free music. but these actions hurt children, or financially hurt musicians and record labels. anyway, nobody is ever sentenced to DEATH for downloading music or looking a porn.

in this case, a man is being killed for reading an article about his religion on the internet. there's a difference.