Case of restaurant owner who defied lockdown sent to AGO: MoI

KABUL (TOLO News): The Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoI) stated on Sunday that the case of Shakila Ibrahim, the owner of the Seven Stars restaurant in Kabul accused of flouting the government lockdown rules, has been sent to the Attorney General of Afghanistan for further legal proceedings.

On April 22, The Kabul municipality announced the closure of the restaurant that was still operating in the city despite the restrictions put in place by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Public Health to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

On Tuesday April 23, Fariba Sadat, a TOLOnews reporter who was in the area to investigate the neighbors’ complaints, said that she was insulted by the owner of the restaurant, and her camera was broken, too.

Eventually, Ibrahim, the owner, was arrested.

“The owner of the Seven Starts restaurant, who violated the quarantine rules and insulted a number of journalists and introduced herself as the friend of a prominent political figure, was arrested by the police and her case has been sent to the attorney general,” said Marwa Amini, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior.

“The attorney general’s office has made assurances that the case will be processed in accordance with the law and in light of justice and transparency, and the outcome will be shared with the people of Afghanistan,” said Jamshid Rasuli, a spokesman for the Attorney General of Afghanistan.

The restaurant owner is also accused of misusing the status of the First Lady’s office.

“I hope that the case of the journalists–which is on the table–will be investigated. Those who create barriers in the way of journalism must be identified,” said Sayed Ahad Sorosh, a journalist in Kabul.

This comes after the Afghan government issued restrictions on restaurants and hotels in some cities, including Kabul city, in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Despite the government’s restrictions, Seven Stars restaurant in PD10 of Kabul was operating until it was closed by the mayor of the city. The closure followed complaints by residents as well as critical media reports.