By Shadi Khan Saif
KABUL
Afghan activists have been outraged by a decision to suspend the death sentence for four men convicted of murdering a woman falsely accused of burning a copy of the Quran.
The Kabul Appeal Court decided on Thursday to commute the sentence handed in May to imprisonment of 10 to 20 years while another eight defendants, who had been sentenced to 16 years imprisonment, were acquitted.
Farkhunda, 27, was publicly beaten then burned to death in March after being falsely accused of blasphemy following a dispute with a spiritual leader, who was angered when she said he was providing misguiding religious advice.
The country's leading women's rights body, the Afghan Women's Network announced nationwide protests against the ruling for Tuesday.
"We will have a large and strong demonstration in front of the Supreme Court in Kabul, our partners across the country and in various foreign countries will join our struggle on that day," the group's director Hasina Safi told Anadolu Agency.
That the appeal proceedings and verdict were held behind closed doors has raised concerns about transparency in a high-profile case.
Farkhunda's parents told local media that they have felt threatened since the original death sentence was handed down and have become more concerned since the appeal verdict.
"We do not accept this verdict - this is not justice... I demand justice from the president and the chief executive," said Farkhunda's father Mohammad Nadir Malikzada, reported local Tolo news.
The Afghan Women's Network said it plans to meet President Ashraf Ghani and First Lady Rula Ghani over the matter as Farkhunda's death had become a symbol of female defiance against the oppression many face in conservative society.
Following her death, women angrily protested in the streets and also broke tradition by bearing her coffin during the funeral.
"This is not a matter of Farkhunda alone, it is about setting a precedent," said Safi, adding that Afghan women want a fair and public trial.
