From RSF.org:

A demonstration was held today in Kabul in support of Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, while the senate issued a statement disagreeing with the statement issued yesterday by the senate president supporting Kambakhsh’s death sentence.

“Today’s demonstration shows that there is support for this young journalist in Afghanistan, while the senate’s retraction of its earlier statement is also encouraging,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The authorities must now take the necessary measures, which include transferring the case to Kabul so that it can be dealt with in normal conditions."

The statement published today by the senate (Mashrano Jirga), taking issue with yesterday’s statement by senate president Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, said: “Justice is independent and only the courts are competent to issue a ruling.” The senate’s secretary, Aminaldin Mozafari, told journalists that “the publication of the senate’s first communique was a technical error.”

Several experts said the senate had no right to take a position on a court decision until all the appeal procedures have been completed. Kambakhsh can appeal twice, including to the supreme court, and to request pardon to President Hamid Karzai.