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

CNN reports on the case of Said Musa, who faces trial for converting to Christianity:

"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," [said Qamaruddin Shenwari, director of the Kabul courts' north zone.]

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

Four years ago, President Bush said:

"It is deeply troubling that a country we helped liberate would hold a person to account because they chose a particular religion over another.

"I'm troubled when I hear, deeply troubled when I hear, the fact that a person who converted away from Islam may be held to account. That's not the universal application of the values that I talked about. I look forward to working with the government of that country to make sure that people are protected in their capacity to worship." 

Bush was talking about Abdul Rahman, who soon thereafter obtained his freedom.

What will President Obama do for Said Musa?

Full post as published by Althouse on November 21, 2010 (boomark / email).