Christian Said Musa To Be Executed In Afghanistan

Something that hasn’t hit the media airwaves much is a travesty of justice and violations of human rights in Afghanistan. The real problem with this is that we, the USA, is there right now. We are overseeing and supporting (with finances, training, and muscle) the new Afghan government and its president, Hamid Karzai. So I want to bang my gong on this issue today because it is something that deserves our attention.

So what is going on?

Said Musa, a father of six young Christian, is set to be executed. While being held for execution he beaten, sexually assaulted, and deprived of food and sleep on a daily basis by his captors: the Afghan government. Why do these horrors visit him?

Because Said Musa has become a Christian.

According to the National Review Online:

Musa was one of about 25 Christians arrested on May 31, 2010, after a May 27 Noorin TV program showed video of a worship service held by indigenous Afghan Christians; he was arrested as he attempted to seek asylum at the German embassy. He converted to Christianity eight years ago, is the father of six young children, had a leg amputated after he stepped on a landmine while serving in the Afghan Army, and now has a prosthetic leg. His oldest child is eight and one is disabled (she cannot speak). He worked for the Red Cross/Red Crescent as an adviser to other amputees.

He was forced to appear before a judge without any legal counsel and without knowledge of the charges against him. “Nobody [wanted to be my] defender before the court. When I said ‘I am a Christian man,’ he [a potential lawyer] immediately spat on me and abused me and mocked me. . . . I am alone between 400 [people with] terrible values in the jail, like a sheep.” He has been beaten, mocked, and subjected to sleep deprivation and sexual abuse while in prison. No Afghan lawyer will defend him and authorities denied him access to a foreign lawyer.

In a letter smuggled to the West, he says, “The authority and prisoners in jail did many bad behaviour with me about my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. For example, they did sexual things with me, beat me by wood, by hands, by legs, put some things on my head.”

Perhaps some of the most disturbing words come from an actual Afghan officials. The Washington Journal reports:

Afghan officials have been unapologetic: ‘The sentence for a convert is death and there is no exception,’ said Jamal Khan, chief of staff at the Ministry of Justice. ‘They must be sentenced to death to serve as a lesson for others.‘

Of course, it is curious that the President has been silent on this. It is gaining quite some momentum–and rightly so. Why is it that the President could take the time to call some stupid loony pastor in Florida when he was going to burn a Koran, but can’t get a call in to our ‘democratic’ ally for Musa? I’m not trying to be antagonistic, but I believe this to be a valid question.

So pray for Musa. But do much more. Tell a friend, tell a co-worker, Twitter it with the hashtag #SaidMusa. Please bring attention to this in your circle of influence. Thank you.

[Update: Said Musa has apparently been freed]

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