FREED EDITOR ASKS FOR US FUNDING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000426 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, S/CT, SA/A NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 TREASURY FOR LMCDONALD, WBALDRIDGE, APARAMESWARAN, ABAUKOL STATE PLEASE PASS USAID USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KDEM AF SUBJECT: FREED EDITOR ASKS FOR US FUNDING REF: A. KABUL 4884 ¶B. KABUL 5076 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A/DCM and EMBOFFS met with freed editor Ali Mohaqeq Nasab. He expressed thanks for the Embassy's efforts to influence his release and asked for substantial funding to supplement his women's rights publication and other endeavors. While funding for the scale of projects Nasab wants to undertake is way beyond limited Embassy funding, Embassy Information Officer explained the kinds of capacity building support available under current programming. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On January 19, A/DCM and EMBOFFS met with Ali Mohaqeq Nasab, the editor of Hoqoq-e-Zan, a women's rights magazine. Last fall, Nasab had been arrested and charged with publishing anti-Islamic material. He was sentenced to two years in prison, but an appeals court released him on December 21, with a suspended six month sentence. Nasab reported that he had not been harassed since his release, but he has instead become a kind of celebrity. He has been contacted by many members of the moderate Islamic community who expressed their support for his actions. His magazine has been allowed to continue, but without his leadership as Editor-in-Chief. He is in the process of personally appealing this decision to the Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism. ¶2. (SBU) Nasab asked for USG funds for the following four projects; saying that they would counter Iranian influence in Afghanistan as well as give support to moderate Muslims. - Islamic Science Center - Thirty Moderate Islamic religious scholars would investigate and research different Islamic sects and write "real" Islamic viewpoints in the fields of politics, international relations, and peaceful relations between all religions. He estimates this project will cost $400,000 per year. - Re-establish Hoqoq-e-Zan Magazine - While permission has been granted for the magazine to continue its publication, Nasab requested financial support to help resume publication, as the previous source of funding - an international NGO - had run its course. - Social Center for Islamic Scholars - Nasab would like to recruit 1,000 scholars, each with a monthly salary of $100, to staff their centers. Several committees would be formed to explore various Islamic issues, including a committee for reporters and one for students. - Assistance with Publication - Nasab has written four books on moderate Islam and would like U.S. financial assistance in order to publish them. ¶3. (SBU) Nasab suggested that U.S. help for his programs would counter Iran's influence in Afghanistan. He alleged that hundreds if not thousands of Afghan religious scholars were going to study in Iran and this was corrupting Afghan religious traditions. A/DCM informed Nasab that the USG has limited funding available for capacity building in the media, and post's Information Officer explained to him the various technical assistance and exchange programs available for journalists. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: Nasab's detention and release has been a high profile issue. Rather than lying low after his release, he appears to be trying to capitalize on his fame, and in any case is out continuing to find funding for his projects. END COMMENT. ¶5. (U) Dushanbe minimize considered. NORLAND