Radio Free Afghanistan: "Many of the 328 women competing for seats in the lower house of Afghanistan's national parliament, the People's Council (Wolesi Jirga), have faced death threats from gunmen who want to deny women any role in the country's political system. Candidate Hawa Alam Nuristani was shot four times on 14 September while campaigning in her eastern province of Nuristan. She had recently spoken to RFE/RL about death threats against her. Female candidates from other provinces also told RFE/RL they have received daily death threats in the run-up to national and provincial voting on 18 September. But they are determined to stay in the race."