by Hilary White
KABUL, March 24, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Abdul Rahman, an Afghani former medical aid worker and Christian convert may be “torn to pieces” at the instigation of Muslim clerics whether or not he is legally acquitted of the capital crime of converting away from Islam. Rahman was denounced to authorities for his conversion by his family during a custody dispute.
Senior Muslim clerics in Afghanistan are calling for Rahman’s death by a mob if he does not recant his Christianity. Although US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, President Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and representatives from Italy, Germany and Australia have urged him to protect religious freedom, Afghan President Hamid Karzai is under pressure from conservative Islamic groups and leaders not to be seen to bow to pressure from the west.
Trial judge Ansarullah Mawlazezadah told Stephen Harper, “The religion of Islam is one of tolerance,” therefore, if he recants his Christian faith, he will not be executed.
Reuters reports that a group of clerics generally considered to be “moderate” – including a fomer prime minister of Afghanistan – met in a Kabul hotel and issued a statement demanding that Rahman be executed. Cleric Enayatullah Baligh said at Kabul’s main mosque, “We won’t let anyone interfere with our religion, and he should be punished.” Reuters says that the popular mood in Kabul is that Rahman should be executed for “insulting Islam.”
“Rejecting Islam is insulting God. We will not allow God to be humiliated. This man must die,” said cleric Abdul Raoulf, who is considered a moderate.
The Afghan constitution says “no law can be contrary to the sacred religion of Islam”. At the same time, it says the country must abide by international agreements which include those upholding human rights and freedom of religion.
The Afghan authorities, however, are aware of the pressure from the countries bankrolling Afghanistan’s recovery and are seeking a way to have Raman released. One prosecutor suggested that there were “questions” regarding Raman’s mental condition indicating that he may be released on the grounds of insanity, a mitigating consideration in Islamic law.
Muslim leaders are not buying it however. The Associated Press quotes the chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque saying, “He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian.”
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“The government is scared of the international community,” he said. “But the people will kill him if he is freed.”
Afghan clerics have continued the call for Rahman’s execution in their Friday prayers at Mosques, while German Chancellor, Angela Merkel told reporters at a news conference that she had received assurances Rahman would not be sentenced to death.
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In the meantime, US Christian groups are calling on President Bush to do more to protect Rahman’s life.
“That there should even be such a trial is an outrage. How can we congratulate ourselves for liberating Afghanistan from the rule of jihadists only to be ruled by radical Islamists who kill Christians?” Family Research Council president Tony Perkins said in a statement.
Read coverage from Associated Press:
U.S. Christians outraged over Afghan trial
https://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/14179031.htm
Read previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Afghanistan President Assures Canadian Prime Minister Christian Convert Will Not be Persecuted
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/mar/06032202.html