Sensational event

for Afghan community in Pen Canada

Silence of Pen Canada about offense of human rights by Karzai regime came to the end.

Unknown organization for Afghan community, Pen Canada becomes an interesting news sensation for Afghan journalist, writers, poets and human right activists.

Till June 19, 2008 In Afghan community a few people knew about “Pen Canada”, but resolution # 1 about Afghanistan, become a sensation for Afghans and popularity of pen Canada among afghan’s writers, journalist, poets and independent human rights activists.

The subject of resolution of Pen was about Sayed Parvis Kambakhsh a young afghan journalist was accused and has been unlawfully detained for three months for possessing an article, which discussed controversial verses of The Quran regarding women’s rights. Kambakhsh is student of in the journalist faculty in Balkh University and also working for an independent newspaper “Jehan-e-Naw”. He was sentenced to death.

The case was mentioned by Balkh provincial “shara-e-ulama”). Balkh is a peaceful province, located on the northern Afghanistan, where the population are against Taliban and Osama bin Laden.

Not only taleban are kidnapping torturing and killing journalists and writers, Afghan government created a hard condition for them. As we can read in Pen’s resolution: “While freedom of press is granted in the Afghan constitution, harassment of journalists in Afghanistan has increased. Several have been arrested, some killed in the past year. Journalists face several threats from the Taliban, and increasing interference from government officials in their right to a free professional life.”

Pen Canada thinks that the Canadian mission in Afghanistan is a priority for the Government of Canada and because Canadians want the mission to protect and ameliorate the human rights of the Afghan people.

Declaration and resolution is not enough, Pen Canada wants to have more effect to Parwiz’s case. “PEN Canada wrote to Prime Minister Harper (01/30/08) about our concerns for Sayed Parwez Kambakhsh and received acknowledgement of the Government of Canada’s interest in his case.” written in resolution. Also Pen Canada is requesting immediate and unconditional release in accidence with Afghan law and Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human rights.

The more effective actions of Pen Canada is a strong request about appeal to the government of Canada to actively continue to monitor this case and undertake appropriate action (including the active presence of Canada official at this trial).

“At this meeting Pen Canada formally adopts Mr Kambakhsh as an honorary member of Pen Canada.[mention to adopt: that Sayed Parwez Kambakhsh of Afghanistan be adopted as an honorary member by Pen Canada]” written in resolution.

Parwez Kambakhsh’s case is a consecutive action of Pen Canada. In an interview to the Afghan community Monthly Newspaper “Andisha-e-Nau”, President of Pen Canada Nelofar Pazira said: “Pen Canada prepared a symbolic empty seat for prisoner journalist (Parwez Kambakhsh) with his name written on it.” The interview with Nolofar Pazira will be published in next issue of ‘Andisha-e-Nau” in Toronto.

I as an editor of Andishe-eNuu had received many telephone calls from Toronto and Canadian provinces, even received e-mails from readers outside of Canada, especially Afghanistan, after I published Persian translation of Pen’s resolution in previous issue of Andish-e-Nuu.

Nelofar Pazira president of Pen Canada

and Yar Sana independent activist of

international movement for

Parwez Kambkhsh defense