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“He would be forgiven if he changed back, but he said he was a Christian and would always remain one . . . We are Muslims and becoming a Christian is against our laws. He must get the death penalty.” In the first hearing of Mr Rahman’s case, Judge Zada, the head of the Primary Court, said that a verdict would be reached within two months.

If the judge imposes the death penalty, Mr Rahman will still have two avenues of appeal under Afghan law — the Provincial Court and the Supreme Court. The death penalty has to be ratified by President Karzai.

Prison authorities refused repeated requests for Mr Rahman to be interviewed, but a cellmate, Sayad Miakhel, told The Times: “He is standing by his words; he will not become a Muslim again. He has been a Christian for over 14 years. It is what he believes in . . . ” Mr Miakhel, 30, said that conditions in the prison were basic, with 50 men to a cell built for 15. “Most prisoners have food brought to them by their families, but none of Abdul’s family have been to visit. I’m not sure how he is eating.

“He seems depressed. He keeps looking up to the sky, to God,” said Mr Miakhel.

CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED

INDONESIA
Three schoolgirls killed in October last year. Their heads reportedly found in plastic bags with a note threatening murder of 100 more Christian teenagers

INDIA
Two pastors murdered in Hyderabad in May last year

NORTH KOREA
Kim Tae Jin was discovered with a Bible in his belongings in 1986 and sent to a forced labour camp where he suffered violence and starvation

PAKISTAN
Any disparagement of the Prophet Muhammad is punishable by death

ERITREA
1,700 evangelical Christians imprisoned indefinitely for being part of what are deemed illegal churches

SOMALIA
Somali Christians seen as enemies of the State. Since end of the dictatorship in 1991 many have been attacked and killed

Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide

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