Rally held in south Afghanistan in support of Charlie Hebdo attackers
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 10 January 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Rally held in south Afghanistan in support of Charlie Hebdo attackers, 10 January 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/54be145632.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
January 10, 2015
Hundreds of people have rallied in southern Afghanistan to praise the deadly attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
The demonstration took place in Oruzgan Province's Chori district after Friday Prayers on January 9, two days after two gunmen killed 12 people at the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, which had drawn repeated threats for its caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
The attackers shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is great) and said they wanted to "avenge the prophet" during the attack.
Afghan officials said the demonstrators called the two gunmen "heroes" and protested President Ashraf Ghani's condemnation of the attack.
Provincial police chief Matiullah Khan said authorities had been informed in advance of the rally, which was allowed under the Afghan Constitution's free-speech provisions.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Pajhwok
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
