-Afghanistan: Christian Faces Trial and Potential Death for Conversion
by Dr. D ~ November 22nd, 2010
(Afghan Emblem via Wikipedia)
An Afghan Christian, Said Musa, was arrested and has been in jail for months for converting to Christianity from Islam.
Afghan officials announced on Sunday that his case would be tried this week sometime. Musa could be facing a potential death penalty for becoming a Christian.
The Afghan Constitution supposedly supports freedom of religion. However, since it doesn’t specifically mention conversion from one religion to another Afghan officials said that they will rely upon Sharia law in trying this case. According to Islamic law any Muslim converting to another religion is subject to the death penalty.
This will be the second such case to come up in Afghanistan within the last 5 years. In the last case the Christian was sentenced to death but allowed to leave the country and immigrate to Italy after the case was publicized in the Western press and protests followed from nearly every Western government.
Response: This is one of those situations that call into question why we have tens of thousands of soldiers in that country supporting a government that continues to discriminate against minority religions.
Last week the U.S. State Department in its annual International Religious Freedom Report indicated that “respect for religious freedom” had actually decreased in Afghanistan during the last year, “particularly toward Christian groups and individuals.”
You would think that we would have at least some influence in that country for the better but that doesn’t seem to be the case. It will be interesting to follow what happens to Mr. Musa. In the meantime we should remember him in our prayers. Christians are not treated all that well in Afghan jails. *Top of the Blog
