KABUL, Afghanistan, March 20 (UPI) -- An Afghan man faces the death penalty after he was charged with converting from Islam to Christianity.
Abdul Rahman, 41, was arrested last month after his family accused him of converting to Christianity, The Guardian reported Monday. He was charged with rejecting Islam, which under Shariah law is an offense deserving of the death penalty.
During a one-day hearing March 16, the defendant reportedly confessed to converting to Christianity 16 years ago. At that time he was working as a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in the Pakistani city of Peshawar.
Judge Ansarullah Mawlavezada said he will rule on the case within two months.
"He would have been forgiven if he changed back. But he said he was a Christian and would always remain one," said the prosecutor, Abdul Wasi. "We are Muslims, and becoming a Christian is against our laws. He must get the death penalty."
Four years after the fall of the Taliban, the trial underlines the struggle between religious conservatives and reformists over the role Islam will take in Afghanistan.
