An Afghanistan appeals court overturns the death sentence for Parwez Kambakhsh, who circulated an article about the rights of women under Islam.

In a case that has illustrated this country's drift toward a more radically conservative brand of Islam as well as the fragility of its legal system, an appeals court today overturned a death sentence for a student convicted of blasphemy but sentenced him instead to 20 years in prison.

The 24-year-old student, Parwez Kambakhsh, ran afoul of Afghan authorities last year when he circulated an article about the rights of women under Islam after downloading it from the Internet. He was studying at the time in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, where he also worked as a part-time journalist for local papers.

Arrested by security police and initially held without charges, he was eventually tried on blasphemy charges, convicted and sentenced to death. Tuesday's ruling by a three-judge appeals-court panel was a blow to human-rights groups and advocates of press freedom who have championed Kambakhsh's cause.

-Article continues Off Site, courtesy The LATimes.