Supreme court judge Mawlavizada on March 19 holds a Bible that belongs to Abdul Rahman, who converted from Islam to Christianity. (REUTERS)
Posted on 03/19/2006 9:44:45 AM PST by cgk
This story deserves much more attention than it's getting. Via VOA News (hat tip: Doug at Below the Beltway):
An Afghan man who recently admitted he converted to Christianity faces the death penalty under the country's strict Islamic legal system. The trial is a critical test of Afghanistan's new constitution and democratic government.
The case is attracting widespread attention in Afghanistan, where local media are closely monitoring the landmark proceedings.
Abdul Rahman, 40, was arrested last month, accused of converting to Christianity. Under Afghanistan's new constitution, minority religious rights are protected but Muslims are still subject to strict Islamic laws. And so, officially, Muslim-born Rahman is charged with rejecting Islam and not for practicing Christianity.
Appearing in court earlier this week Rahman insisted he should not be considered an infidel, but admitted he is a Christian. He says he still believes in the almighty Allah, but cannot say for sure who God really is. "I am," he says, "a Christian and I believe in Jesus Christ."
Rahman reportedly converted more than 16 years ago after spending time working in Germany. Officials say his family, who remain observant Muslims, turned him over to the authorities. On Thursday the prosecution told the court Rahman has rejected numerous offers to embrace Islam. Prosecuting attorney Abdul Wasi told the judge that the punishment should fit the crime.
He says Rahman is a traitor to Islam and is like a cancer inside Afghanistan. Under Islamic law and under the Afghan constitution, he says, the defendant should be executed. The court has ordered a delay in the proceedings to give Rahman time to hire an attorney. Under Afghan law, once a verdict is given, the case can be appealed twice to higher courts.
This is the first case in which the defendant has admitted to converting and is refusing to back down, even while facing the death penalty.
Here, via the Middle East Times, is the "evidence" against Rahman that may lead to his execution:
Supreme court judge Mawlavizada on March 19 holds a Bible that belongs to Abdul Rahman, who converted from Islam to Christianity. (REUTERS)
What do Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President Bush have to say about the monstrous possibility that Rahman may be executed for professing faith in Jesus Christ and possessing a Bible?
So far, nothing.
Thanks for the ping!
"How do you solve a problem like... Shariah?"
"Freedom."
Amen, amen, and amen!
Perhaps "legally" they have freedom, but in practice they have little and are either under persecution or constant threat of it.
If you want more information, simply Google "Christian persecution"+Turkey and you will get over 21,000 hits. You'll find plenty of evidence there the 0.2% (that's only about 140,000 souls) of the Turkish population which has managed to remain Christian does not live freely. Then reflect on the fact at one time most of the population of Turkey was Christian - before the Muslims came and wiped them out or forcibly converted them!
Your premise of religious freedom in Turkey does not hold water. Interestingly enough, most of the religious persecution on this planet is perpetrated by Muslims. That ought to tell you something about where this vile religion stands on human rights and freedom.
Did Big Media cover this young Black Racist story the way they covered the young twin White Racists story?
Who made which story national news and who addressed the disparity in reporting the young Black Racist?
There was a whole lot of shrillness going on on the Dubai Ports deal.
Sean Hannity was very, very shrill! ...so was Chuckie Shumer and his new best friend Michael Savage.
Ping!
************
Welcome to Free Republic. How did you happen to find your way here?
First let me point out that he is a she.
Just out of curiosity do you challenge any of the facts that she covers in this specific story? If so, on what basis?
I notice that by post #8 of this thread and less than 10 minutes into it you made your first post attacking the messenger and ignoring the message.
Are you assigned to discredit Malkin? Since none of your posts address the facts in the article I would classify them as disruption.
Cheers
And Germany was not cured of all ills. Remember East German and the Berlin Wall? American can't cure everything in one fell swoop.
Yep. Kept Communism from spreading West while it was in place. Since it came down, German politics and society have swerved decidedly to the left. Meanwhile Germany's standard of living is declining relative to the rest of the world. The wall coming down has greatly benefited former East Germany, but it's been a boondoggle to former West Germany, which has been forced to cope with Soviet-era social problems.
You somehow view violent fascism as merely 'quaint', or 'backwards'? We should thank God that these nations don't currently posess enough technology to pose a threat to us. If they did, we'd all be dead or Dhimmi. Giving them wealth and technology without first effecting the destruction of their fascist views is just baiting trouble.
You and iluvlucy a DU trolls?
I really hate to read sexist language - it weakens the rest of your argument. Raising awareness is vitally important - and that is something Ms. Malkin does exceptionally well.
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.
<< " We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. " -- Ann Coulter.
Wasn't there a "barbeque their goats" in there somewhere? >>
Nope.
Ms Coulter is all too well aware what those sexually-repressed shirt lifting, mattress munching, turd burgling little-boy buggaring islamists do to their goats -- and to their sisters -- and to little boys -- and wouldn't, even if you could tell them from their goats, recommend they be eaten.
I used your secretary! LOL
"Quaint?" Uh...no.
Kept Communism from spreading West while it was in place.
The problems in Germany exemplified by the Berlin Wall...good because they kept W. Germany from being infected? Never heard that one before.
Meanwhile Germany's standard of living is declining relative to the rest of the world.
Exactly right. This goes to show you that America didn't solve all Germany's problems in a fell swoop. Neither will Afganistan's problems be solved quickly. Particularly since they are more backward than Germany was.
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