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Planned release of Afghan covert sparks protests(Chicago Tribune (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) KABUL, Afghanistan _ Hundreds in the north peacefully protested Monday the planned release of an Afghan man who faced the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity, demanding that he be hanged, while the government tried to figure out a way to release him safely. Also Monday, a solution might have emerged: The United Nations announced that Abdul Rahman, 42, has appealed for asylum in another country. There were reports that he had been freed late Monday, but officials confirmed that Rahman still was in his cell at the country's biggest prison, in the same cellblock as Al Qaida and Taliban prisoners. "He's in his cell, eating his dinner," said Maj. Gen. Shahmir Amirpoor, commander of Policharki prison. Jailers insisted that Rahman would be safe there while waiting for court-ordered tests to determine whether he is mentally ill. On Sunday, a judge tossed his case back to prosecutors for more investigation. But the main question is where Rahman eventually would go. Western diplomats and Afghan officials fear that Rahman never will be safe in Afghanistan because many Afghans think he should be killed for abandoning Islam. Officials say he would be a walking dead man if set free in the country. "He will be executed anyway," said one senior Afghan official involved in negotiations for Rahman's release, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. "Everybody knows it." Officials said late Monday that the country's attorney general's office had prepared a letter to free Rahman for medical reasons, which is supposed to be sent to the Justice Ministry on Tuesday. He then could be handed over to the United Nations, Afghan officials said. A UN spokesman confirmed that Rahman had appealed for asylum. Rahman, who reportedly converted to Christianity about 16 years ago while working for a Christian relief group in Pakistan, returned to Afghanistan in 2003. He was arrested more than a month ago after showing up at a police station and announcing his conversion to Christianity. Many believe leaving Islam for another religion is punishable by death under Islamic law, although the Afghan constitution also guarantees freedom of religion. After an initial court hearing drew international condemnation of the case, a judge announced Sunday that he was sending the file back to prosecutors to investigate whether Rahman is mentally ill and whether he holds a passport for another country. The charges can be refiled if Rahman is determined to be mentally sound and if he refuses to come back to Islam. But the government likely will try to let the case fade away quietly. In the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif on Monday, hundreds of Islamic school students and clerics protested the announcement that Rahman would be released. Officials estimated the size of the crowd at 300 to 500 people. "They demanded that Abdul Rahman has committed apostasy and should be hanged," said Soltani Amir, a police officer Mazar-e Sharif. Protesters shouted chants including "Death to America!" and Death to Abdul Rahman!' But the demonstration was peaceful, said Qari Qudrat, the provincial governor's secretary, raising hopes that no violence would occur if Rahman is released. There were no protests elsewhere, although many are waiting to see what will happen this week at Friday prayers, where the clerics' words are incredibly influential. "This person should be hanged," said Humayun Hashimi, 32, a tailor. "He has desecrated Islam. That is what our imam said in our mosque." Others worried about the repercussions of killing Rahman. "Our society will become miserable if this person is killed," said Abdulsatar Fayeq, 54, a property dealer. "Thousands of people have been killed in Afghanistan. Have we got anything from it?" ___ (c) 2006, Chicago Tribune. Visit the Chicago Tribune on the Internet at http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services. _____ NEWSCOM PHOTOS can be viewed at http://www.newscom.com/nc/visuals.html (Username: fpnews and Password: viewnc05 allow editors to view photos.) To purchase photos or to get your own NewsCom username and password, U.S. and Canadian newspapers, please call Tribune Media (800) 637-4082 or (312) 222-2448 or email to [email protected]. Others contact NewsCom at (202) 383-6070 or email [email protected]. Use search terms: "Rahman" For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail [email protected]. |