Afghan publisher arrested for changing the Quran

Afghan police have arrested a man accused of publishing an unofficial translation of the Quran that has sparked protests in parts of the country, newspapers said on Monday.

The translation sparked an emergency debate in parliament and protests in at least two parts of the country as key passages were changed.

MP's accused the publisher of misinterpreting the Muslim holy book on many issues including homosexuality and adultery in his translation into Dari, the second most used language in Afghanistan.

Ghaus Zalmai, the publisher of the translation, was arrested on Sunday trying to cross the border into neighboring Pakistan. Zalmai was also a spokesman for Afghanistan's attorney general.

"This is a plot against the religion of Islam, and no one will ever accept the book as the holy Quran," daily Armaan newspaper quoted Judge Abdul Salam Azimi as saying.

"The Supreme court has ordered an investigation into this matter and to bring the culprits before the court," he said.

Perceived insults to Islam, such as the cartoons of the prophet Mohammad (PBUH) or alleged violations of the Quran have sparked angry protests in Afghanistan.