VZCZCXRO6145
RR RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1397/01 1150439
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250439Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7695
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4002
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001397 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR HARRIMAN 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-82 POLAD 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM AF
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON FALLOUT BETWEEN TOLO TV AND AG 
SABIT 
 
REFTEL: KABUL 1332 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) In the week since the fallout between Tolo TV 
and Attorney General Sabit, multiple protests have 
been organized in support of both Tolo TV officials 
and the Attorney General.  Reactions in the local 
press appear to be more balanced than those in the 
international media, and while the issue is still 
holding media attention, it does not appear to be 
escalating.  On April 23, the Ministry of Information 
and Culture asked Tolo TV to apologize to the Attorney 
General Sabit for airing his comments in a way that 
could easily be misinterpreted.  Tolo has rejected the 
request, instead filing a complaint with the Supreme 
Court and stating that if the Supreme Court also rules 
in AG Sabit's favor, only then will Tolo apologize. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
 
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION CALLS FOR APOLOGY FROM TOLO 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
¶2.  (U) On April 23, the Ministry of Information and 
Culture called on Tolo TV to issue an apology to Sabit 
for airing his comments in a way that could be 
misinterpreted by the public.  In a phone conversation 
with the Embassy on April 24, Tolo officials confirmed 
that they had refused to honor the request.  Tolo 
announced that it was taking the matter to the Supreme 
Court, with which it filed a formal complaint on April 
18, and would only apologize if so ordered by the 
Court. 
 
¶3.  (U) On April 24, officials at the Ministry of 
Information and Culture confirmed to the Embassy that 
the matter had been reviewed by the Commission on 
Media Complaints and Violations, mandated by the 
current version of the Media Law (2005).  The 
commission is chaired by Minister of Information and 
Culture Khoram and also includes representatives from 
the Ministry of Justice, Afghan Independent Human 
Rights Commission (AIHRC), several private 
journalists, and the School of Journalism at Kabul 
University.  Note:  According the AIHRC, its 
representatives were not contacted to participate in 
this review.  End note. 
 
PROTESTS: "MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS" 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Protestors have organized, or more likely been 
organized, in favor of both Tolo TV and the Attorney 
General over the past week.  On April 18, over one 
hundred demonstrators gathered in front of Parliament 
to protest Sabit's actions.  (Note: The protests shut 
down Parliament Road and further postponed 
Parliament's debate of the Media Law scheduled for 
that day.  End note.)  In response, as early as April 
19, pro-Sabit protests were organized in Kabul, Khost, 
Nangarhar and Laghman provinces, chanting slogans like 
"Long live Abdul Jabar Sabit and the Mujahideen" and 
"Down with Tolo TV," and in at least one case, even 
burning a mock-up of the Tolo TV insignia in the 
street.  Estimated participants in each pro-Sabit 
rally ranged from 200-300 protestors.  Media reports 
that protestors may have been coerced or paid cash to 
participate are unconfirmed. 
 
BALANCED STATEMENTS IN THE AFGHAN MEDIA 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) While Afghan media coverage of the incident was 
initially very critical of the GOA, it appears to have 
grown more measured in recent days.  On April 21, 
 
KABUL 00001397  002 OF 002 
 
 
Afghanistan's Independent Journalist Association 
(AIJA) released a balanced statement that 
characterized the government's actions as 
"inappropriate" and "hasty," but also urged media 
outlets to "act responsibly and professionally."  AIJA 
maintained that it would have been better for Sabit to 
bring the matter before the Commission on Media 
Complaints and Violations rather than summon the news 
staff and stated that journalists should "not be 
summoned for questioning by force."  AIJA also 
demanded that "civil society institutions refrain from 
making issues complicated before they are 
investigated." 
 
¶6.  (U) The issue has even captured audiences during 
Friday sermons in Kabul mosques.  According to media 
reports, Mawlawi Enayatollah Balegh, of the Pol-e- 
Kheshti Grand Mosque in Kabul told his congregation 
that the Attorney General's actions were 
"inappropriate," but also said it was not acceptable 
for Tolo to "use its position to humiliate the 
government, the nation, the political system, and our 
religion.  All this is against the law, and there is 
no benefit in them."  He noted that "humiliating 
people is against Shari'a Law," and reportedly asked 
media outlets to "pay serious attention to protecting 
Islam."  He also urged Afghans to come to peace on 
this issue and to stop making statements in favor of 
one party or the other. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7.  (U) After a week of heated protests, the recent 
shift to more balanced positions by journalists, 
government officials and religious leaders alike 
indicate that the issue is unlikely to escalate 
further, at least locally, absent any further 
provocation by Tolo or Sabit.  While Mawlawi Balegh's 
calls for the media to act in accordance with Islam 
are not exactly on par with western standards of 
respect for freedom of the press, they do reflect most 
Afghans' opinions on where the line should be drawn 
between media freedom and local moral standards.