Abdul Rahman has been freed.
KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) — An Afghan man threatened with the death penalty for converting to Christianity has been released from prison, senior Western diplomats said Tuesday. His whereabouts were not immediately known.
Abdul Rahman had been held by Afghan authorities for his conversion from Islam to Christianity, punishable by death in Afghanistan, which follows Islamic law. Many Muslim clerics in the country called for his death, and said even if he were freed his life would be in danger.
Ahead of his release, Rahman requested asylum in a Western country, according to the United Nations. He has lived in Europe at times.
Michelle Malkin points to this story, which may be cause for concern, though:
An Afghan man who had faced the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity quickly vanished Tuesday after he was released from prison, apparently out of fear for his life with Muslim clerics still demanding his death.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini said he would ask his government to grant Abdul Rahman asylum. Fini was among the first to speak out on the man’s behalf.
Rahman, 41, was released from the high-security Policharki prison on the outskirts of Kabul late Monday, Afghan Justice Minister Mohammed Sarwar Danish told The Associated Press.
“We released him last night because the prosecutors told us to,” he said. “His family was there when he was freed, but I don’t know where he was taken
Hopefully, this is a sign that steps are being taken to protect Rahman from the mob that would undoubtably lynch him, and not signs of something sinister.
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