Afghan convert adopts a new christian name

Rome, Italy – Afghan convert, Abdul Rahman, have shed his old name with is old life and wishes to start new life in Italy, with a new name, 'Joel', his baptism name, and has expressed his thanks to people of Italy for their efforts to secure his release.

According to AGI news service Joel (formerly known as Abdul Rahman) also extended thanks to Pope Benedict XVI for the same.

According to Afghan law, which draws inspiration from Islam, conversion is a crime: Rahman was arrested last month, accused by his relatives of apostasy. His trial started two weeks back: he was charged with death sentence after he was seen holding Bible in Afghanistan.

Mounting international pressure prompted Afghan President Hamid Karzai had to intervene to save the Afghan convert from possible death sentence, a move that risked angering Muslim clerics here who have called for him to be killed.

After being set free on March 27, the UN spokesman in Kabul said Rahman, who converted to the Christian faith 16 years ago, had asked for asylum in a third country. His imprisonment drew an appeal from Pope Benedict XVI to the President, Hamid Karzai and efforts from the United Nations to find a country to host him.

Following this request, Italy granted him asylum. The Afghan parliament had called on the national authorities not to allow the convert, Abdul Rahamn, to leave the country. But amid all the threats and protests, Rahman managed to reach safely to Italy on March 29.

Abdul Rahman, 41 years, was imprisoned two weeks ago, denounced by his family as a convert. The man had left Islam 16 years ago, when he worked for a Christian NGO in Peshawar (Pakistan). He later migrated to Germany, where he lived until 2002. When the Taleban regime was overthrown, he returned to seek custody of his children. He risked the death penalty under the Shar’ia Islamic law, the foundation of the Afghan Constitution.