In the name of God

 

Civil Society & Human Rights Network (CSHRN) statement

Concerning the death penalty of the Afghan Journalist Mr. Parwais Kambakhsh

 

January 24^th 2008

 

 

The Afghan Journalist Mr. Parwais Kambakhsh has been sentenced to death by the local court in Mazar e Sharif without a proper investigation, which constitutes a violation of legal proceedings. This violation has a bad influence on civil society and human rights activists in Afghanistan, especially in the Northern region of the country.

 

Afghan citizens, whose civil and political rights are guaranteed by the Afghan constitution and international laws, should not become victims of political and illegal prosecution.

 

The Civil Society and Human Rights Network calls for the Afghan state, the international community and all social and political institutions and organizations for protection and support to the Afghan citizens in this kind of circumstances. We ask that justice and the rule of law are respected according to national and international standards.

 

According to the Afghan constitution, the Afghan state is responsible for the protection and implementation of civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights of Afghan citizens. CSHRN, which is composed of 60 human rights NGOs, asks the Afghan state to fulfill these obligations in accordance with the Afghan constitution, the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

 

The CSHRN with its high respect for religious values - as illustrated by the fact that justice, respect and fairness are the main principles of the network - calls upon spiritual leaders to support Afghan citizens in their request for the implementation of the above mentioned norms.

 

 

CSHRN Steering Committee

 

 

 

The CSHRN consists of 58 organizations was established in August 2004 as an umbrella structure to coordinate human rights activities among local non-governmental organizations. CSHRN works to promote human rights and strength civil society in Afghanistan. CSHRN activities cover 20 provinces of Afghanistan.

CSHRN Address: Kaart- 3, Sixth Municipal District's Street

Contacts: 0776619567 0700077815 0700260942 azaryuon@yahoo.com wazirahmad_khorami@yahoo.com