Who Will Save Abdul Rahman?

Abdul Rahman is the Afghan man who converted to Christianity 16 years ago while living in Germany. He now lives in Afghanistan and his relatives have turned him for breaking Islam law. Now he faces the death penalty. Islam law dictates that no one may convert to other religions. The prosecutor and his family members believe he should die:

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Abdul Rahman told his family he was a Christian. He told the neighbors, bringing shame upon his home. But then he told the police, and he could no longer be ignored.

Now, in a major test of Afghanistan's fledgling court system, Rahman, 42, faces the death penalty for abandoning Islam for Christianity. Prosecutors say he should die. So do his family, his jailers, even the judge. Rahman has no lawyer. Jail officials refused to let anyone see Rahman on Monday, despite permission granted by the country's justice minister.

"We will cut him into little pieces," said Hosnia Wafayosofi, who works at the jail, as she made a cutting motion with her hands. "There's no need to see him."

Rahman's trial, which started Thursday, is thought to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan. It goes to the heart of the struggle between Islamic reformists and fundamentalists in the country, which is still recovering from 23 years of war and the harsh rule of the Taliban, a radical religious regime that fell in late 2001.

Even under the more moderate government now in power, Islamic law is supposed to be followed, and many believe it requires the death penalty for anyone who leaves Islam for another religion.

Who is speaking up for this courageous gentleman?

Michelle Malkin is reporting that Italy and Germany have now taken a stand on behalf of Mr. Rahman.

Mark Tapscott and La Shawn Barber have some excellent links and comments.

President Bush didn't address the problem in his press conference this morning, nor did anyone think to ask him about it.

What can we do? Contact the White House and let them know what you think.

Contact your friends at church and write emails to whomever you think will sound off about this outrageous act of religious intolerance.

Mark Levin opened his show this afternoon opining about the lack of outrage so far. He reminded the Afghans that the vast majority of the military who freed them from the Taliban are Christians. How about a little gratitude toward Christianity from the Islamic Afghans.