"lay[ing] the foundation for democratic institutions," (Bush on Afgan Cons

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http://mediamatters.org/items/200603270007
Network newscasts uncritically aired administration outrage in Rahman case

Since March 23, each of the three major network nightly newscasts have uncritically reported administration statements expressing outrage over the prosecution and possible execution of an Afghan man for converting to Christianity, in defiance of Islamic law. But none of the nightly newscasts noted that when the Afghan constitution was ratified in 2004, President Bush hailed it for "lay the foundation for democratic institutions," despite a provision in the constitution asserting the supremacy of Islamic law.

When Afghanistan approved a new constitution on January 4, 2004, Bush issued a congratulatory statement, which said, in part, that the new constitution "lays the foundation for democratic institutions. ... A democratic Afghanistan will serve the interests and just aspirations of all of the Afghan people and help ensure that terror finds no further refuge in that proud land." U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, who at the time was the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, told the Los Angeles Times on January 5, 2004, that the constitution sets up a society where "

eople can practice their religious rights." And, as noted by the weblog Think Progress, Bush highlighted the Afghan constitution in a January 23, 2004, statement, in which he said: "We're making good progress, we really are, in parts of the world. Afghanistan has now got a constitution which talks about freedom of religion and talks about women's rights." Think Progress also noted that White House press secretary Scott McClellan reiterated this view at his March 23 press briefing, where he said that "it's important for the government of Afghanistan to reaffirm the bedrock principles in that constitution, one of which is freedom of religion."

Despite these assurances, the Afghan constitution, while providing for freedom of religion, also clearly establishes Islamic law as supreme. Chapter 1, Article 2 specifies that Islam is the official state religion, while also stating that "ollowers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of law." Chapter 1, Article 3, however, declares that "no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam." As the January 5, 2004, Los Angeles Times reported (subscription required), at the time the constitution was approved, human rights advocates warned that the latter clause might nullify many of the constitution's guaranteed freedoms:

But such provisions as women's rights could also lead to further rancor because they clash with other parts of the constitution........ Read More
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