Cablegate: Jailed Journalist Ali Mohaqiq Nasab Released With

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS KABUL 005201

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA/FO, SA/A, S/CT, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFA-A, CG CJTF-76

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV PTER AF
SUBJECT: JAILED JOURNALIST ALI MOHAQIQ NASAB RELEASED WITH
SUSPENDED SENTENCE

REF: KABUL 4884

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Jailed journalist Ali Mohaqiq Nasab was
released from jail with a suspended six-month sentence.
During the hearing Nasab gave a one-sentence apology
stating, "I ask the court to forgive me if I caused any
confusion and problem." This statement appeased the court
and the original two-year sentence was reduced to six-
months, half of which will be suspended. Nasab's reduced
and suspended sentence was not welcomed by the prosecutor,
who argued that Nasab should be sentenced to death for
supporting conversion from Islam to other religions. END
SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) On December 21, the Appeal Court of Afghanistan
held a public hearing on Nasab's case and reduced his two-
year prison sentence to six-months. Since Nasab had been
incarcerated for the past three months the remaining three-
months were suspended. The court warned Nasab that over the
next three months his behavior will be closely monitored and
any violation of the law will result in his arrest and
possible increase in jail time.

3. (SBU) Comment. The consensus of the international
community members who attended the hearing is that Nasab's
case was not a case about freedom of speech, but rather a
case about freedom of religion. End Comment.

NEUMANN

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