Afghanistan: UN envoy deplores murder of parliamentarian as assault on democracy

A senior United Nations envoy in Afghanistan today called on authorities to step up protection for all parliamentarians following the assassination of the first legislator since the new National Assembly was inaugurated over two years ago.

The murder of Maulvi Mohammad Islam Mohammadi “represents an assault on the democratic will of the people who voted in their millions for peace, stability and progress during historic elections,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan Chris Alexander said in a statement.

“This attack underlines the risks faced by dedicated parliamentarians as they work tirelessly to forge a new future for the people of Afghanistan. We urge Afghan authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice swiftly and call on them to step up protection for all parliamentarians representing communities across Afghanistan,” he added.

He noted that Maulvi Mohammadi served his country honourably as a mujahid (fighter against Soviet occupation in the 1980s), a religious scholar and a parliamentarian. “This murder is particularly distressing coming as Afghans mark the holy month of Moharram and on the eve of the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain,” he said, referring to the Shiite commemoration of the grandson of Mohammed who was killed in battle in the 7th century.