Afghan Christian convert arrives in Italy

ROME/KABUL - An Afghan Christian convert who had faced the death penalty for abandoning Islam arrived in Italy and was granted asylum, Italy said today.

Abdur Rahman, 40, was jailed this month for converting to Christianity and could have faced trial under Islamic sharia law that stipulates death as punishment for apostasy.

He was freed from prison after pressure from Western states whose troops helped bring the Afghan government to power.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he had been granted asylum in Italy.

"He is already here... He is currently being looked after by the interior ministry," Berlusconi told reporters in Rome.

Berlusconi said the man's exact whereabouts were being kept secret. Italian news agency ANSA quoted unnamed sources who saw Rahman in the past few hours as saying he was grateful and very happy to be in Italy.

News of Rahman's departure from Afghanistan came hours after members of the Afghan parliament condemned his release and said he should not be allowed to leave the country.

Asked whether he feared a negative reaction from the Muslim world, Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini said: "No, not particularly, also because Italy has always been committed to defending inalienable human rights, including one's freedom to believe in their own god."

Rahman's jailing raised a storm of protest in the West, with Italy, Germany, the United States and Canada - all countries with troops in Afghanistan - leading calls for his religious freedom to be respected and for him to be released.

Pope Benedict also called for clemency.

In Italy, politicians from all colours gave their backing to Berlusconi's asylum offer, even though one member of the centre-left opposition accused him of "propaganda" ahead of a general election on April 9-10.

In Afghanistan, however, many religious conservatives had demanded Rahman be punished under Islamic law, with some warning of rebellion if the government gave in to Western pressure and released him.

Analysts say President Hamid Karzai might still face anger at home and his rivals could try to take advantage of the row.

The lower house of parliament held an unscheduled debate on the case and Rahman's release was widely criticised.

"The release of Abdur Rahman was contrary to the existing laws of Afghanistan," Yunus Qanuni, president of the lower house of parliament, told the assembly, before Italy's asylum offer and Rahman's departure had been confirmed.

"Abdur Rahman should not flee and should not be allowed to leave Afghanistan."

Rahman became a Christian while working for an aid group helping Afghan refugees in Pakistan 15 years ago. He later lived in Germany before returning to Afghanistan.

He was detained after his relatives told authorities he had converted to Christianity following a dispute involving two daughters. Relatives said Rahman had suffered from mental problems, although he denied that.

Qanuni said members of the Supreme Court and prosecutors should be summoned to explain Rahman's release. Several members of parliament said Rahman should be executed. President Karzai has made no public comment on the case.

Religion is a sensitive issue in deeply conservative Afghanistan.

Violent protests erupted in February over the printing of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad by European newspapers. Last year a magazine report that US military interrogators had desecrated the Koran also sparked violence.

About 1,000 people rallied in a northern city on Monday to demand Rahman be executed but there have been no protests since.

- REUTERS