Afghan Convert May Go Free

At least the Afgan government has some common sense. What is still very worrisome is that fact that this could happen in the first place. Islam is not a religion of peace. Never has been, never will be.

(CNSNews.com) - Afghan authorities may drop apostasy charges carrying the death penalty against Christian convert Abdul Rahman, following sustained diplomatic pressure from countries with troops deployed in the Muslim country.
Judicial officials were quoted as saying the case was being reviewed because of problems with evidence. Some reports also referred to the possibility that Rahman may be considered mentally unfit to stand trial.
The 41-year-old, who converted to Christianity while living outside the country 16 years ago, has refused to renounce his faith despite calls by prosecutors for capital punishment in line with Islamic law (shari'a).
The case galvanized Christians in the U.S. and other Western countries and drew strong rebukes from American, European, Australian and Canadian governments.
It raised anew questions about the new Afghan constitution, drafted following the downfall of the fundamentalist Taliban regime.
The constitution, which came into force early 2004, cites the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and says that "followers of other [non-Muslim] faiths shall be free within the bounds of law in the exercise and performance of their religious rights."
But it also states that "no law shall contravene the tenets and provisions of the holy religion of Islam."
Shari'a requires the death penalty for any Muslim man - and in some schools of shari'a, woman - who leaves Islam for another faith and refuses to recant.
On Saturday the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI had added his voice to calls for President Hamid Karzai to free Rahman.
The pope said in a letter to the Afghan leader that dropping the criminal charges against the convert "would be the most significant contribution for our common mission to foster mutual understanding and respect among the different religions and cultures of the world."