Abdul Rahman: Prisoner of Islam

Abdul Rahman, an Afghan citizen who is currently being held in an Afghan prison because he had the audacity to convert to Christianity, may escape a death sentence because he might be mentally unfit to stand trial.

Something is definitely wrong with this picture.

Abdul Rahman, 41, has been charged with rejecting Islam, a crime under this country's Islamic laws. His trial started last week and he confessed to becoming a Christian 16 years ago. If convicted, he could be executed.

But prosecutor Sarinwal Zamari said questions have been raised about his mental fitness.

"We think he could be mad. He is not a normal person. He doesn't talk like a normal person," he told The Associated Press.

Moayuddin Baluch, a religious adviser to President Hamid Karzai, said Rahman would undergo a psychological examination.

The prosecutor is questioning whether Rahman is mentally unfit because he had the audacity to convert away from Islam. That kind of thing simply isn't done in Afghanistan, even after several years of exposure to Western and US influence.

And why does the prosecutor think that Rahman isn't competent to stand trial? Because converting away from Islam is crazy? Well, if you know that you're facing a death sentence should you be outed, it might be crazy to let people know that you've converted. Don't tell and pray that no one asks.

Or, is Rahman crazy simply because he's embraced Western thought and theology that doesn't comport with the theology of Islam and thus branded a heretic for taking a different view on religion.

Karzai better recognize that this doesn't do Afghanistan any good to see someone put to death for their religious views, though he also probably realizes that the Islamists in the country would only cause yet more violence and upset the delicate balance there.

For starters, Karzai and the Afghan government ought to look at getting rid of the head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, who is calling for Rahman's head because "he clearly violated Islamic law." Once again, we're witnessing a conflict between western philosophy and liberalism and Islamic theology, and the Islamists see the Islamic theology trumping all else.

President Bush should press the Afghan government to cease and desist, as Rahman's plight really is no different than the Bamiyan buddhas prior to when the Taliban destroyed those priceless and historic artifacts. It is a clear and unadulterated sign of religious intolerance by certain groups of Muslims against all other religious views (including those Muslims who do not practice in the same fashion as those in charge). More to the point, we should not have to call on Muslim groups to condemn this persecution and instead Muslim groups should be condemning the action and calling for cessation of these kinds of actions.

Others blogging: Michelle Malkin who has updated coverage including Bush's statements on the matter and an even stronger Danish response, Big Pharoah, Myopic Zeal, Stop the ACLU, LGF, The Jawa Report, Hyscience, Captain Ed.

Where are the human rights groups on this?

UPDATE:
Mark Tapscott wonders who exactly will come to Rahman's rescue. It certainly doesn't appear to be Muslims. LaShawn Barber also muses about Rahman's fate as a martyr dying for his religious beliefs.

Below the Beltway wonders what would happen if the Afghan court actually found Rahman insane.

The Political Pitbull has a transcript from a State Department press briefing that included questions about Rahman's situation.

UPDATE:
Others blogging: The Shape of Days who will be protesting outside the Afghan Embassy on Wyoming Ave in Washington, DC, Okie on the Lam, Wizbang, Freedom Zone has a petition to sign.

Technorati: abdul rahman, islam, conversion, apostacy, afghanistan.