An Afghani who converted to Christianity will soon be released despite his death sentence, a spokesman from the president’s office announced over the weekend.
Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karazai was under mounting pressure from his Western allies, following the death sentence issued to ‘Abd A-Rahman who converted 16 years ago.
Pope Benedict XVI called on Karazai to drop all charges against ‘Abd A-Rahman, citing respect for religious freedom. United States President George W. Bush also said he would use his country’s influence to make sure ‘Abd A-Rahman would be able to choose his own religion.
But Karazai is also under extreme pressure from local clerics, who are questioning his authority to order ‘Abd A-Rahman’s release. “The Quran is very clear and the words of our prophet are very clear. There can only be one outcome: death,” said cleric Khouja Ahmad Sediqi, a member of the Supreme Court. “If Karazai releases him, it will play into the hands of our enemy and there could be an uprising.”