Christians Under Attack

Said Musa was arrested by Afghan Interior Ministry intelligence authorities
near the German Embassy in Kabul because of the allegations, said Qamaruddin
Shenwari, director of the Kabul courts' north zone. The exact date of his arrest
is not known.

The case against Musa has not yet been finalized, said Mohammad Najim Hamidi,
director of public security at Zone 3 of the Kabul courts. He could face trial
next week if the case is prepared by then, Hamidi said. It was earlier thought
Musa's trial would begin on Sunday.

The Afghan Constitution does not mention
converting from one religion to another, so the judge will take Islamic law into
account, officials said.

"According to Afghanistan's constitution, if there is no clear verdict as to
whether an act is criminal or not in the penal code of the Afghan Constitution,
then it would be referred to sharia law where the judge has an open hand in
reaching a verdict," Shenwari said.

Under sharia law, converting from Islam to Christianity is punishable by
death.

It was not immediately clear where Musa was being held and whether he has
access to his attorney or relatives.

The U.S. State Department said last week in its annual International
Religious Freedom Report that "respect for religious freedom" decreased in
Afghanistan in the last year, "particularly toward Christian groups and
individuals."

Christians, Hindus and Sikhs - as well as Muslims whose practices don't
satisfy the government or society - suffer "intolerance in the form of
harassment, occasional violence, discrimination and inflammatory public
statements," the report said. It estimated the Afghan Christian community ranges
from 500 to 8,000 people

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