That there has been progress toward real democracy in Afghanistan is impossible to deny, but remnants of the totalitarianism common under the Taliban continue to haunt the struggling country.

Journalist Ali Mohaqiq Nasab was convicted Saturday for publishing anti-Islamic articles in his magazine. He was sentenced to two years in prison. and his safety cannot be guaranteed.

The articles in question challenged the interpretation of Islamic law that says Muslims who convert to other religions should be stoned to death. He also questioned whether adultery should be punished with 100 lashes, a possible death sentence in itself.

A free press is one of the foundations for a democratic country. It would be unrealistic to expect reporters to have the same freedoms in Afghanistan that they have in the western world, but a 2004 law signed by Afghan President Hammed Karma, which bans any content that insults Islam, is too restrictive.

Strict interpretation of Islamic law has undermined women’s rights in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a heavily regulated press makes it impossible for the issue to be discussed, making progress nearly impossible.

The United Nations has expressed its concern with Ali Mohaqiq Nasab’s arrest, but the United States and NATO, which have troops on the ground in Afghanistan are in the best position to advocate for his protection and release. We take a free press for granted in the United States, but it’s one of the fundamentals for a free people. Until Afghans have the ability to question their government and religious leaders, they’ll never really be free.