U.S. Religious Freedom Experts Urge 'Vigorous' Action in Mideast, S. Asia
Religious freedom experts on Friday voiced concern over religious freedom and anti-conversion laws in the Middle East and South Asia on Capitol Hill during a Congressional Human Rights Caucus.
WASHINGTON - The highly publicized case of the Afghan Christian convert has generated heated debates and worldwide concern, many of which were voiced by religious freedom experts on Capitol Hill during a Congressional Human Rights Caucus Friday on anti-conversion laws and religious freedom in the Middle East and South Asia.
Religious freedom, human rights experts, congressmen, and an Islamic law scholar convened in the nation’s capital to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and other nations with similar laws restricting an individual’s right to religious beliefs. The co-chair of the caucus emphasized the importance of the issue of religious freedom to himself, those present, and to the American people.
“Within the Congress I would hope that you would be encouraged that there are a great number in Congress that are [disturbed] by these questions….this is something that is very close to the hearts of so many of us and it is tremendously important,” said Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) to Ambassador John Hanford of the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.
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During the caucus, the case of Abdul Rahman was used as a springboard for discussion on anti-conversion laws, religious freedom, and the formulation of steps in establishing a democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Vice-Chair of the United States Commission on Religious Freedom, Felice Gaer, exhorted the United States government to “vigorously” work with the Afghan government to ensure human rights standards are protected in the nation where approximately 99 percent of the population is Muslim.
“Rahman’s case should come as no surprise. This case is not an isolated incident,” said Gaer as she continued to list three recent blasphemy charges known by the U.S. government.
“Clearly Abdul Rahman’s case points to the weak state of human rights protection in Afghanistan today,” she continued. “This release and the release of other persons who have been charge with similar sentences no way confronts the underline flaws in Afghanistan governmental structure. According to the Commission, unless changes are made, cases such as Rahman’s will continue to be treated in Afghanistan as criminal acts meriting the most severe punishments.
“The U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom has concluded that because the United States has been so directly involved in Afghanistan’s political reconstruction, it has the special obligation to act vigorously, together with the Karzai government to identify and promptly remedy the systemic flaws which continue to undermine universal human rights in Afghanistan.”
Also advocating for a strong U.S. voice to protect religious freedom was Nina Shea, director of Freedom House’s Center for Religious Freedom, who insisted that “to get to square-one, you need freedom of religious and free speech.”
Shea recommended the U.S. to place an “explicit ban” on prosecution of blasphemy and apostasy laws in the Iraq constitution.
Director of International Advocacy of Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Angela Wu, agreed with Shea’s recommendation for Iraq.
“I completely agree with Ms. Shea that religious liberty needs to be redlined,” she said. “Religious liberty is a wonderful marker of these other rights. If we redline that we will be sure that we have flourishing democracy and a robust public debate which are absolutely mandatory to maintain the freedom of Afghan people in the face of extremists in their midst.”
Also rallying for religious freedom was Georgetown University’s Muslim Chaplain, Imam Yahya Hendi, who said that Islam calls for religious freedom.
“I believe that punishing those who convert out of Islam is absolutely Un-Islamic,” said the soon-to-be doctor of Islamic law. “According to my understanding of Islamic law, or Shari’a law, belief is a personal matter not subject to the intervention of the state…. Shari’a law should not and must not be used by politicians to testify inhumane and cruel treatment of converts and religious minorities living in so-called Muslim lands.”
Hendi supported his stance by citing from the Koran verses which shows that Islam advocates for religious freedom of conscience.
“I urged the government of Afghanistan to set Rahman free but I did so only on the grounds that Islam would require it,” explained Hendi.
J. Alexander Their, who has spent the last six years in Afghanistan and two years working on the Afghanistan constitution, provided expertise on the current situation in Afghanistan. The senior rule of law advisor of the Rule of Law Program at the U.S. Institute of Peace, speaking for himself rather than on behalf of the institute, focused on the need for “competent and independent judges” who will rule justly even if the decision is unpopular.
“Mr. Rahman’s case is a clarion call for us to help Afghanistan’s judicial system, and those of similar situated countries in the region, if we want democracy and the rule of law to prevail,” Their said, calling on the U.S. and its allies to partner with the Afghan government to strengthen the judicial reform process.
“I would think that anyone in the world that underestimates this importance to Americans would underestimate the will of the people in this country,” proclaimed Co-chair Rep. Akin (R-Mo.)
“We disagree and squabble about a lot of things but this is one issue that is pretty close to the soul of many Americans.”
