Farda (Tomorrow)
Date: 2002
Region: Asia
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Print Journalism
Artist: Abdul Ghafoor Iteqad, editor of the weekly Farda (Tomorrow).
Confronting Bodies: Defense minister and vice president of Afganistan, Marshal Muhammad Fahim. Mr. Karzai was out of the country at the time, and Marshal Fahim was in charge.
Dates of Action: December, 2002
Location: Kabul, Afganistan
Description of Artwork: Cartoon that showed President Hamid Karzai leading a song and dance number.
The Incident: The editor, Abdul Ghafoor Iteqad, of the weekly Farda (Tomorrow), was arrested by two men from the prosecutor's office, who told him that the cartoon, drawn on his instructions, had insulted the president.
Results of Incident: The order to arrest him came from the man considered by many people here to be the most powerful in the country — not the president, but the defense minister and vice president, Marshal Muhammad Fahim. Mr. Karzai was out of the country at the time, and Marshal Fahim was in charge. The president returned two days later, laughed at the cartoon and immediately ordered the editor's release.
Source: New York Times, Jan 13, 2003 Submitted by NCAC