KABUL (PAN): Almost a year after she was kicked out of Parliament for using abusive language against the august institution, Malalai Joya vowed on Saturday she would fight her way back to the Wolesi Jirga.

The outspoken young woman, addressing a news conference along with a lawyer she has hired to fight her case, argued the legal challenge to her ouster was largely delayed by financial resources.

Under Article 70 of the Lower House Rules of Business, she pointed out an elected MP could not be suspended for more than 24 hours. "This (her suspension) was a patently illegal action by Parliament," she insisted.

While stoutly defending her earlier remarks against Parliament, an unrepentant Joya said: "What I had said about the MPs did not convey my message well. I have been told by my compatriots to seek an apology from the animals.

On May 21, 2007, the Lower House scrapped the membership of Joya for the derogatory remarks she mad against legislators including jihadi leaders in a TV interview.

The gutsy woman from the western Farah province was kicked out of Parliament by a majority vote. She was accused of slamming the Parliament as a stable during her interview with the Kabul-based private TV channel Tolo.

At Saturdays media appearance, she divided the legislators into two categories - those genuinely elected by voters and the ones entering Parliament through the backdoor. She was barred from proceeding abroad as a result of pressure the latter group mounted on the government, Joya charged.

She believed the move was not only against the freedom of speech and democratic values, but also ran counter to the constitution. "My case is proceeding in courts," she said, hoping for relief.

Confident of the sacked lawmakers return to Wolesi Jirga, her defence lawyer Muhammad Zaman informed reporters he had moved a Kabul court against the suspension of his client.

Gul Pacha Majeedi, head of a parliamentary panel tasked with legal defence and protecting privileges of parliamentarians, said they had advised Joya to process her case through the commission, but she did not heed the suggestion.

Most Wolesi jirga members voted against Joya, with Speaker Younus Qanuni announcing the cancellation of her membership. Qanuni regretted the action - the first since the establishment of Parliament.

It will be pertinent to recall that Malalai had launched into a tirade against mujahideen leaders, branding them as warlords and rights abusers, during the first Constitutional Loya Jirga in Kabul in 2003.

Despite occasional warnings from the strongmen, she has been seeking action against war criminals. Majority of those accused of war crimes and human rights violations were either members of Parliament or serving in senior government positions, the bold young woman charged.

Her sacking touched off a storm of protest across the country, with supporters seeking immediate reinstatement of the 29-year-old public representative. A number activists and writers living in countries whose governments are at war in Afghanistan and back the Hamid Karzai administration also voiced support to the fired parliamentarian.

by/mud