Afghan actor Saleem jailed for ‘cybercrime’ conviction

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Saleem or Salim Shaheen, a popular Afghan actor has been jailed for ‘cybercrime’ conviction by a court in Kabul. According to reports, Saleem Shaheen was detained 3 months ago from Kabul airport when he was going to attend a festival in India.

A first trial approved a 3-year jail period for Saleem Shaheen convicted of blackmailing a girl in Kabul whose video footage was with him. He was asking the girl to pay her a certain amount of money.

The second trial court has reduced his jail period to 2 years.

Jamshid Rasuli, a spokesperson for the General Attorney Office (GAO) told RFA that Saleem Shaheen had filmed a girl several months ago to use the footage in his future movie, but later the girl complained that Shaheen was blackmailing her to publicize the film if she denies paying.

“According to Afghanistan’s criminal code, the allegation falls under cybercrime’, Rasuli said.

Sahra Karimi, head of the Afghan Film Authority, speaking to Khaama Press condemned the act by Salim Shaheen and praised the timely proceedings of the judiciary bodies.

“This should be a lesson to other men directors and producers on how to behave with their female colleagues”, Sahra said.

But Saleem Shaheen said he has filmed and produced a clip from the birthday party of the girl against AFN 200K, but later the girl denied to pay him the amount.

“Its a plot by my rivals”, Shaheen said.

Saleem Shaheen has produced over 110 movies reflecting Afghanistan’s social issues and has gained the name ‘Sultan-e-cinema’ in Afghanistan.

In May 2016, he made way on the red carpet at Connes as the star of a charming and hilarious documentary portrait by French journalist Sonia Kronlund.(Khaama Press)