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| Afghanistan | |
| Afghan government warns voters not to protest | |
| 2009-08-03 | |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] The Afghan government warned Sunday it would deal strictly with anyone who uses violence to protest the outcome of this month's elections, amid fears of a repeat of the bloody demonstrations in Iran. A reported warning that Afghans could take their guns onto the streets should President Hamid Karzai win a second term on August 20 has drawn strong condemnation, with the British embassy adding this would be "unacceptable."
The ministry, responsible for securing the election, said those behind statements that cause "destruction, plunder and disturb the security of citizens" were subject to criminal charges that could earn the death penalty. The time had passed in which people could force their wishes on each other with weapons, it said, referring to Afghanistan's decades of war. An international newspaper article last week cited an Afghan analyst as saying that should Karzai's main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, not accept the outcome of the vote there would be violent protests. | |
| Posted by:Fred |