What do fascist Islamists hate more than the freedom of expression? Women who express themselves freely. And what could possibly be worse than a woman speaking her mind? A woman unafraid to condemn the whole lot of fanatical, backward bullies on the airwaves. That's most likely why Zakia Zaki, a hero of dissident Afghan radio journalism, was recently murdered in her home in front of her three year-old son.
Zakia Zaki started her radio career eight years ago. At the time Parvan province was one of the few areas in the country to be controlled by anti-Taleban forces.
The Independent Association of Afghan Journalists has condemned the murder, describing it as an example of how difficult the working environment has become for journalists and especially for women.
"She believed in freedom of expression, that's why she was killed," the association's head Rahimullah Samander told Reuters.
Stateside, the Afghan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007 is proposing to send $135 million over a period of three years to the Afghan Ministry of Women's Affairs, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, and Afghan-led non-profits as part of the bill's Afghan Women Empowerment Act. You can honor Zaki's legacy by showing your support.