miércoles, 6 de febrero de 2008

Pervez Kambakhsh, condenado a muerte por blasfemia

Vía Martha Colmenares he sabido de este estudiante de periodismo, condenado a muerte por un tribunal afgano, al parecer por difundir entre sus compañeros (algunos de los cuales lo habrían denunciado) determinadas opiniones sobre el Corán. En este link de Amnistía Internacional se puede firmar una carta dirigida al presidente de Afganistán, quien puede impedir la ejecución de la sentencia. También está en pdf. La transcribo a continuación (negritas mías):

President Hamid Karzai

Thank you for all you have done in these past years to ensure the safety and well being of all Afghan people.

I am a member of Amnesty International USA and was informed of the death sentence handed out to a journalist based in Mazar-i-Shariff, by a provincial court in your country on Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Mr. Pervez Kambakhsh has been convicted of blasphemy for peacefully distributing copies of articles downloading the internet which some say question the Koran.

I am extremely concerned about this verdict as I share with many other Amnesty International members and leadership the opinion that the death penalty is a brutal and dehumanizing act for both executioner and victim. It is especially distressing that such extreme punishment would be meted out to a person who has not committed any violent or criminal act, and who was simply and peacefully sharing written materials.

I am also concerned about the fairness of Mr. Kambaksh’s trial, in particular with due process. Concerns about these issues were highlighted by the UN Special Rapporteur in October 2002 and in 2003, the UN Commission on Human Rights called on the Afghan government to "declare a moratorium on the death penalty in the light of procedural and substantive flaws in the Afghan judicial system."

I was very happy to hear in your recent public statement at the opening of Parliament you yourself reiterated the freedom of press and freedom of speech which is also written into the Afghan constitution in Article 34. In light of this commitment, I respectfully call upon you, Mr. President, to lift the death sentence again Mr. Pervez Kambakhsh and pardon him from any other punishments for his “crime,” and also to take steps to ensure that freedom of press and speech is indeed fully ensured in your country. I further call on Afghanistan to join the 133 nations around to world which have banned the death penalty altogether.

Sincerely
Carlos López Díaz
(...)
TARRAGONA, 43007