Blasphemy charge for "insulting Islam"

We had a geat visit here in Winnipeg by Diana Youdell, who is crossing the country for DFAIT (Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada) explaining the development projects of Canada in Afghanistan, and giving some context of the overall NATO effort. She both praised the Government of Afghanistan's plan for dealing with poppy production and explained that it cannot yet be implemented because the whole judiciary system is insufficiently developed. This may apply to blasphemy cases also. Decisions like this may reflect an undertrained judiciary, rather than the actual content of Sharia Law. The last Afghan case that made the international news, of a conversion to Christianity 18 years ago, was "solved" on a technicality that allowed the fellow to live by going into exile. Similarly, this case may be resolved by some technicality. It may not seem like the clearcut defence of freedom of speech that we might like to see. However, religious law does evolve, because holy documents like the Quran are open to interpretation, and reinterpretation. Fatwas, which are only rarely edicts against individuals, are similar to Responsa in Judaism. They are the living reinterpretation of the Quran or Torah, respectively. Therefore we need some detail about how Canada (and I think Italy) are helping improve the judiciary in Afghanistan. Are they supporting the best Islamic Law scholars, and getting their practices and Fatwas promulgated across the country? There are some well trained Canadian Imams who are scholars of Islamic Law, who could help their colleagues in Afghanistan reach a deeper understanding of the Quran. Does anyone know if we are doing this?

-Dick Gordon, University of Manitoba