Afghan Christian Convert Released, Protests Expected

The Afghan who faced a death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity has been freed today after numerous pleas from Western governments that his religious freedom should be respected, the Afghan minister reported on Tuesday.

|PIC1|Earlier this month, Abdur Rahman, 40, was jailed for abandoning his Islamic faith, with officials saying that he could face trial under the Islamic sharia law, which stipulates death as a punishment for apostasy.

Sarwar Danish, the Afghan Justice Minister said, “I can confirm that he was released. He is not in detention. I do not know if he is with his family or where, but he has been acquitted.”

When questioned about the exact legal grounds behind the converts release, Danish stated that he could not comment on this.

Conservative Islamic clerics in Afghanistan have been demanding that the death penalty be given under the sharia law, but the country’s government has been attempting to appease them as well as satisfy Western pleas that religious freedom be exercised.

The United Nations has been working very closely with the Afghan government on a solution, and it was reported on Monday that Rahman had requested to be given asylum abroad. It was hoped that one of the countries that were involved in the debate to accept him.

Protests against the release are expected, a security official confirmed today, and these will come following hundreds gathering outside the courthouse to protest after the decision to drop charges against Rahman was made on Sunday.

|AD|Rahman became a Christian whilst working for an aid group helping Afghan refugees in Pakistan 15 years ago. After this he lived in Germany for a while, before returning to Afghanistan.

His relatives reported to authorities that he had converted to Christianity after a dispute involving two daughters, officials explained.

Relatives later insisted that Rahman was suffering from mental problems, although he has strenuously denied this.

The release has already been condemned by some Afghan Muslims. One protestor, Mujibur Rahman told Reuters, “If the government doesn't kill him, people in all provinces will demonstrate. All Muslims will be anti-government.”

On Monday, about 1,000 angry protesters marched through the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif chanting “Death to America” and “Death to the convert Abdur Rahman”.

Already last month Afghanistan saw violent protests after cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad were published in a number of European newspapers.

The United States, however, have stood firm and appealed for calm in the region and across the world.

“We understand the sensitivity of this case and urge everyone to remain calm and resist efforts to exploit the situation,” Fintor said.