On Monday, July 23, 2007, a key international affiliate of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) received special recognition from the United Nations – a development that enhances the global nature of the ACLJ’s religious liberty and human rights work that already spans more than 35 countries.  Last week, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations unanimously granted special consultative status to the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ).

This special designation enhances our ability to shape the global debate on religious freedom and human rights and dignity.  With the special consultative status, the ECLJ will now be in the unique position to file legal briefs and memorandums with UN governing bodies on a wide range of global issues.  This designation is the next logical step in the development of our global outreach; and it will empower the ECLJ in the ongoing struggle to influence the world's decision-makers to recognize the concept that freedom and liberty are universal, God-given and inalienable rights that must be protected.

The ACLJ, which began nearly 20 years ago, has become one of the nation's foremost authorities on constitutional law specializing in religious liberty.  Nearly a decade ago, we expanded the work of the ACLJ to include an international focus by launching both the ECLJ and the Slavic Centre for Law and Justice (SCLJ).

The work of the ECLJ and SCLJ has spanned more than 35 countries with current cases underway in a number of countries including Russia, Israel and Turkey.

The ACLJ and its worldwide affiliates engage in litigation, provide legal services, render advice to individuals and governmental agencies, as well as counsel clients on global freedom and liberty issues.  The ACLJ and its affiliated organizations also support training law students from around the world in order to protect religious liberty and safeguard human rights and dignity.

The ECLJ is based in Strasbourg, France.  The SCLJ is headquartered in Moscow, Russia.  And, the ACLJ is based in Washington, D.C.

As I mentioned in the post the other day, we have over 50 law students participating in our joint program between the European Centre for Law and Justice and Regent University.  This international gathering also includes students from Cameroon and South Korea.  Our desire is to train these students to defend human life and religious liberty globally. 

This afternoon, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and I had the pleasure of having lunch with Jean-Paul Costa, President of The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), who has invited our students and faculty to attend an oral argument before the Grand Chamber of the ECHR tomorrow in Strasbourg.  The case concerns one of the most significant terrorism cases that the ECHR has dealt with.  The accused was suspected, among other things, of international terrorism and was arrested and placed in pretrial detention.  Lawyers from Italy and the United Kingdom will be arguing in this case.  By attending this proceeding, our students from Regent University will receive a unique and unprecedented opportunity to see an international tribunal in operation. 

Our students also visited the Council of Europe this afternoon and had an opportunity to observe the interworkings of this legislative body that impacts all of Europe.  Increasingly, courts in the United States are citing international precedents in their opinions.  Being able to shape those court opinions in Europe is a paramount concern for our European Centre for Law and Justice.  We just received word that another one of our religious liberties cases has been accepted by the court for a review, and the briefing process is well underway.  This new case arises out of a religious freedom issue in Bulgaria where 250 churches were closed simultaneously by the Bulgarian government.  Our lawyers are handling this case at the ECHR. 

If you would like to see photographs from the European Council and our meeting with the president of the European Court of Human Rights, please click here.

We have completed the first week of training at our offices at the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) in Strasbourg, France.  This is the ninth year of our International Human Rights Training Program in conjunction with Regent University.  This year we had over 50 students from around the world attending this program.  Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft is one of our distinguished faculty members for this program. 

The focus of the program is international human rights and national security law.  We are training these lawyers to become future leaders in the struggle for religious liberty and international human rights.  In addition to Attorney General Ashcroft, our students will be exposed to the teachings of former Attorney General of Slovakia Daniel Lipsic, Regent University Dean Jeff Brauch, and the staff of the ECLJ as well as the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ). 

We also had the privilege of having former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Daniel Ayalon as our guest with our students.  We are excited about the program and the progress our international offices are making. We are on the verge of a major victory for religious liberty in the Middle East, which I will be reporting on in the days ahead. 

This program gives us the opportunity to teach an entire generation of lawyers to defend religious liberty and human dignity.  This program is a fantastic experience for the students and gives them a unique perspective on important legal issues.  On Wednesday, we will be hosting key members of the European Parliament, who will also address our students.  By providing this type of perspective, our students gain insight that is not available in any other academic setting.  We are committed to training these future lawyers.  To see the photo gallery of our training events, please click here. 

While in Israel last week, I had the opportunity to meet with key Israeli government officials regarding the ongoing situation in the Middle East.  As you are aware from previous postings, we are heavily engaged in a number of issues in Israel and the greater Middle East, especially as it relates to religious freedom and national security matters.  

While in Israel, I met with Israeli President Shimon Peres to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.  In addition, I met with Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni to discuss key issues, including academic freedom and an attempted boycott of Israeli college professors by members of colleges and universities in the United Kingdom.  This type of discrimination violates not only the Universal Charter of Human Rights but also is counter to U.N. policies.

I also had the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, to discuss the current situation in the Middle East as well as issues dealing with religious freedom.

The other day, I mentioned my friend and colleague, Andrew White, who is the Anglican Envoy to the Middle East.  Andrew and I have worked on a number of sensitive issues of religious liberty and freedom in the Middle East over the past year.  Andrew made national news earlier this week when he reported that at a conference he attended in Iraq, a member of Al-Qaeda made the statement that “the ones who cure you will kill you.”  Unfortunately, this statement proved to be true with the attempted terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom by medical doctors. 

More information will be posted in the coming days.  To see photos of my meetings with Israeli government officials, please click here.

For the past several days, I have been in our European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) offices in Strasbourg, France.  In conjunction with Regent University School of Law, we are training over 50 students from around the world concerning issues of international religious freedom and human dignity.  Students from as far away as South Korea are attending during this ninth year of our program here at the University of Strasbourg.  Former Attorney General of the United States, John Ashcroft, is on our faculty for this program.  I will be giving a further report on the details of our program in next several days, but I did want to report a significant victory that our ECLJ obtained at the Council of Europe.

Legislation was proposed in Strasbourg for the entire Council of Europe entitled “The Dangers of Creationism in Education.”  A vote was scheduled on this legislation for Tuesday, June 25, at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.  Our ECLJ legal team, as well as some of our Regent University law students who are serving as interns in Strasbourg, went to work on this situation immediately.  The Committee on Culture, Science and Education presented a working document entitled “Report on the Dangers of Creationism in Education.”  There were nineteen articles contained in a draft resolution which would forego any scientific discussion between the theories of evolution and creationism.  In essence, a discussion of intelligent design in the educational setting would be illegal.  The language used in the report called the discussion of creationism “a threat to human rights.”

Despite the fact that respect for pluralism and diversity are supposed to be the hallmarks of European society, the European Council had no difficulty entertaining this ban on creationism.  Our ECLJ produced a 14-page document which pointed out that

“to censor discussion and teaching of creationism would violate the spirit as well as the letters of democracy enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, the Charter on the Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

We went on to assert that the result of passing the resolution would be the prevention of academic and educative discussions between the theory of intelligent design and the theory of evolution.  This approach only hampers the educational progress of students by restricting their examination of competing scientific ideas and would necessarily violate the freedom of expression, including academic freedom, as well as the right to the free exercise of religion.  We asserted that the Parliamentary Assembly should reject the resolution as incompatible with the goals and ideals of the Council of Europe.

I am happy to report that we were successful in defeating this resolution.  This is a significant victory for academic freedom and represents our worldwide efforts to protect not only academic freedom, but freedom of association and intellectual pursuit.  Prohibiting discussions of creationism in classrooms throughout Europe is nothing short of censorship.  We were very pleased that this resolution was withdrawn after our document was circulated amongst the members of Parliament of the Council of Europe.

I will have more reports on additional victories in the days ahead.  If you would like to read the memorandum that we presented to the Council of Europe, please click here.

I wanted to give you a firsthand report on the situation developing in the United Kingdom.  Yesterday I arrived in our offices at the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) in Strasbourg, France.  The previous week, I had been in Israel meeting with a variety of government officials to discuss the current situation in the Middle East, including terrorism issues.  After meeting with the President of Israel, the Prime Minister and members of the Israeli Cabinet, it is clear that there is a united effort amongst Israeli government officials to do what is necessary to prevent the spread of terrorists’ activities in the Middle East region.

Upon arriving in Europe, news of the terrorists’ bombings in London and Scotland were reminiscent of previous summers’ terrorism activity in the U.K.  Unfortunately, there are reports right now that additional bombs have been found in the region, and security at public transport areas is very tight, as you can imagine.  In the days ahead, we will be meeting with a variety of European Parliament officials to discuss issues including national security.

We have 50 law students attending our current program with the ECLJ and Regent University.  Fortunately, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, who works with us in this program, is in Strasbourg.  This morning I had an opportunity to discuss with him the current terrorism climate and ways to combat this significant threat.   The challenges that America, Israel and our European allies face are significant.  By training law students from around the world on national security issues, as well as international human rights, we are able to influence a generation of future leaders.  The times demand a serious response. 

On the front page of the Jerusalem Post today is a report that the terrorist group, Hamas, has tried to take over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  The report indicates that Hamas has invested millions of dollars to propagate its views and to secure control of this site.  I am confirming with our associates in Israel the status of this move by Hamas and how it will impact the region.  We will be updating this report on a regular basis throughout the next twelve days while we are at our ECLJ headquarters.

For the past three days, we’ve been in Haifa, Israel, as well as in Tiberias, which is in the Galilee region where Jesus’ ministry began and was centered.  After making many trips to Israel and spending many nights in Galilee, I’m still amazed at the fact that we are actually walking the land where Jesus walked and ministered 2000 years ago.  It should be an encouragement to all Christians that what we consider ancient history, in the eyes of the people of Israel, 2000 years is, in fact, recent history. 

While Israel itself has been quite calm, reports like the earlier ones I’ve mentioned from the Gaza Strip continue to pour in.  Christians are being harassed and religious toleration no longer exists.  Islamic law is becoming the primary focus of the Hamas activity, and I have no doubt that they will try to do the same maneuver in the West Bank.  Tensions are high along the border areas between Gaza and Israel, as well as between the border areas of Gaza and Egypt.

Egypt announced that they are calling for a special meeting between Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian authority personnel to stop the spread of Hamas.  Radical Islamic organizations like Hamas are a threat to more moderate governments like Egypt and Jordan.  While in Elat, I had an opportunity to spend one day in Jordan and the next in Egypt.  They are as concerned as we are about the growth of terrorism.  The citizens of Jordan want peace and have established a lasting peace with Israel.  Much is the same for Egypt where President Hosni Mubarak wants a dismantling of the terrorist organizations immediately.

Later in the week, as we move towards Jerusalem, I will provide an updated report.  We will be attending events on the northern border of Lebanon with Israeli Defense Forces, which promises to be an informative session of important military maneuvers.  We are also privileged to have former Attorney General of the United States, John Ashcroft, speak to our group on Saturday.  I hope to post photos of that event within the next few days.

Keep coming back to the website at www.aclj.org for updated information.

	Israel Video Report

At this moment, Hamas, a terrorist group reportedly financed by Iran and Syria, has used military force to take over Gaza. As a result, the persecution of Christians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank due to to Islamic threat is indescribable.

As I’m dictating this posting to the website, I’m actually ten miles inside Egyptian territory here in the Middle East.  On one side, I’m looking at the border with Israel and Israeli territory; to the left is Egypt; and directly behind me is Saudi Arabia.  At this particular strategic location, you get a sense of what’s at play in these Middle East territories right now. 

Yesterday we brought to you the troubling report out of the Gaza Strip.  Our concern is for the Christians who are under tremendous persecution in that area.  I’m including that posting below and encourage you to read it if you have not already done so.  As you can see, the Hamas terrorist organization is dismantling Christian schools and significantly limiting the ability of Christian churches to operate in the area.  There is a tremendous amount of refugees coming out of the Gaza Strip, trying to make their way to Israeli territory. 

Tomorrow we plan on being in Haifa, where we will give you an additional report and update.

June 19, 2007

Christians in the Gaza Strip

This morning, I traveled to Jordan for a series of meetings.  While in Jordan, I received a communication from Canon Andrew White.  We have worked closely with Andrew on a variety of religious freedom issues in the Middle East.  As you can see from the following report, Andrew is heavily involved in the situation in the Gaza Strip in Israel.  I thought it would be good to post his report so that you can get a sense of the difficulty that Christians in the Gaza Strip area are having in light of the Hamas takeover. 

The rest of Israel is actually quite calm, and the Gaza Strip and West Bank appear to be the flashpoints right now. 

The following are excerpts from Andrew White’s report, information focusing on the current situation for Christians in the Gaza Strip:

      From:         Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East

      Date:          Tue, 19 Jun 2007 05:36:49

      Subject:      Iraq and Gaza Urgent Appeal

My Dear Friends,
 
The situation in Iraq and Gaza is more than urgent. Whilst Philip is in Gaza [see report below], I have just returned from Iraq. I am used to seeing bad things and carnage, but what I have witnessed in the past month is like nothing I have ever seen before.
 
I wanted to send you some pictures taken last week, but my staff rightly told me they were too awful to send. If they are too awful to send they are too awful to describe. The death, carnage and kidnappings are indescribable. What is so awful, though, is the suffering of the ordinary Christians. In the past month, the suffering has become immense. Christians have been ousted from their homes, have lost all their savings, they have been threatened and have undergone a targeted campaign to bring about death, kidnapping and removal from their homes.
 
The needs of the Christians in Baghdad are immense. There are hundreds of Christians now sleeping on church floors and people are going hungry. Last week as I tried to leave church, I was surrounded by people in tears. They had no money for food, medical treatment or simply the most basic things in life. In the burning heat, people cannot even buy water; and the taps often have no water so people are driven to drink unclean river water. Pete and I emptied all the money from our own bank accounts before we went to Iraq, just for the church; we returned with nothing and could not even begin to meet the demands. We have therefore decided to ask you for help for the Christians in Iraq and Gaza. In Iraq we do not just want to help people from our own church of St. George.  Please pray about whether you can help us in this present crisis. Thank you for your consideration.
 
Grace, Peace and Blessings,
 
Andrew White
 

“People are thinking of how to spend the summer vacation; we are thinking of how to stockpile food,” said Rana Al Najjar, a member of the Gaza Baptist Church as she made a trip to the shop on Saturday afternoon to buy what food was still available. After a turbulent week in which Fatah forces were routed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, streets were relatively back to normal on Saturday, until reports started to spread that the borders would be sealed and people started scrambling to get a hold of the basic needs of bread, sugar, flour and gas. Prices rose quickly, as shops quickly ran out of their stockpiled goods. In bakeries customers were given a number to wait in line and were limited in the amount of bread they were permitted to purchase. Cars were moving about, people were walking the streets, talking and laughing. Along the walls of the main hospital in town, I saw old men sitting in the shade playing backgammon. The combination of the normalcy of life and fear of the unknown future make for a strange atmosphere. Yet, the greatest fear is for the poor, for they cannot afford the rising prices and many go home empty-handed.

      The World Food Program reported in March that 80% of the Gaza Strip is reliant on food aid from international organizations. Help us raise $10,000 in order to bring food to those that cannot afford rising prices and are unable to provide for their families. Please do not forget that there are Christians here too, and we must stand with our forgotten brothers and sisters in their time of real need. 

      Philip Rizk
 

This morning, I traveled to Jordan for a series of meetings.  While in Jordan, I received a communication from Canon Andrew White.  We have worked closely with Andrew on a variety of religious freedom issues in the Middle East.  As you can see from the following report, Andrew is heavily involved in the situation in the Gaza Strip in Israel.  I thought it would be good to post his report so that you can get a sense of the difficulty that Christians in the Gaza Strip area are having in light of the Hamas takeover. 

The rest of Israel is actually quite calm, and the Gaza Strip and West Bank appear to be the flashpoints right now. 

The following are excerpts from Andrew White’s report, information focusing on the

current situation for Christians in the Gaza Strip:

      From:         Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East 

      Date:          Tue, 19 Jun 2007 05:36:49

      Subject:      Iraq and Gaza Urgent Appeal

My Dear Friends,
 
The situation in Iraq and Gaza is more than urgent. Whilst Philip is in Gaza [see report below], I have just returned from Iraq. I am used to seeing bad things and carnage, but what I have witnessed in the past month is like nothing I have ever seen before.
 
I wanted to send you some pictures taken last week, but my staff rightly told me they were too awful to send. If they are too awful to send they are too awful to describe. The death, carnage and kidnappings are indescribable. What is so awful, though, is the suffering of the ordinary Christians. In the past month, the suffering has become immense. Christians have been ousted from their homes, have lost all their savings, they have been threatened and have undergone a targeted campaign to bring about death, kidnapping and removal from their homes.
 
The needs of the Christians in Baghdad are immense. There are hundreds of Christians now sleeping on church floors and people are going hungry. Last week as I tried to leave church, I was surrounded by people in tears. They had no money for food, medical treatment or simply the most basic things in life. In the burning heat, people cannot even buy water; and the taps often have no water so people are driven to drink unclean river water. Pete and I emptied all the money from our own bank accounts before we went to Iraq, just for the church; we returned with nothing and could not even begin to meet the demands. We have therefore decided to ask you for help for the Christians in Iraq and Gaza. In Iraq we do not just want to help people from our own church of St. George.  Please pray about whether you can help us in this present crisis. Thank you for your consideration.
 
Grace, Peace and Blessings,
 
Andrew White
 

“People are thinking of how to spend the summer vacation; we are thinking of how to stockpile food,” said Rana Al Najjar, a member of the Gaza Baptist Church as she made a trip to the shop on Saturday afternoon to buy what food was still available. After a turbulent week in which Fatah forces were routed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, streets were relatively back to normal on Saturday, until reports started to spread that the borders would be sealed and people started scrambling to get a hold of the basic needs of bread, sugar, flour and gas. Prices rose quickly, as shops quickly ran out of their stockpiled goods. In bakeries customers were given a number to wait in line and were limited in the amount of bread they were permitted to purchase. Cars were moving about, people were walking the streets, talking and laughing. Along the walls of the main hospital in town, I saw old men sitting in the shade playing backgammon. The combination of the normalcy of life and fear of the unknown future make for a strange atmosphere. Yet, the greatest fear is for the poor, for they cannot afford the rising prices and many go home empty-handed.

      The World Food Program reported in March that 80% of the Gaza Strip is reliant on food aid from international organizations. Help us raise $10,000 in order to bring food to those that cannot afford rising prices and are unable to provide for their families. Please do not forget that there are Christians here too, and we must stand with our forgotten brothers and sisters in their time of real need. 

      Philip Rizk
 

We arrived in Israel with important developments in both the northern portion of Israel near the Galilee region and the border with Lebanon, as well as in the Gaza Strip.   Yesterday on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, two katyusha rockets landed in Israel.  This is the first time that rockets have landed in the northern portion of Israel since last year’s war against Hezbollah.  The two katyusha rockets landed in the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona but caused no injuries.  Interestingly, Hezbollah immediately denied responsibility for the attacks.  In fact, Hezbollah pointed to the possibility of Palestinian organizations connected with either Hamas or Al-Qaeda as the perpetrators.  Also, the attack took place in an area that is controlled and patrolled by the United Nations interim forces in Lebanon.  I am in the southern portion of Israel today, and the reports I have received from the north are that things are actually quiet and there has been no further agitation. 

In the Gaza Strip, the area continues to be controlled by Hamas.  This is presenting a serious challenge to Israel, as well as other moderate countries in the region.  On Sunday, the Israeli Defense Forces distributed food and water to thousands of Palestinians who gathered near the border in the Gaza Strip area. 

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is in New York and stated in a speech yesterday that he will de-freeze monies that were kept under Israeli control that were owned by the Fatah Party.  Fatah is the moderate force in the Gaza and West Bank and is a government controlled by Mahmoud Abbas.  Abbas’s leadership is in question in light of the takeover by Hamas in the Gaza Strip area. 

Last Thursday, a school and convent owned by the Roman Catholic community was ransacked, burned and looted during the school day in the Gaza Strip area.  Although the damage took place last week, it was not reported until today because of the deteriorating situation in the Gaza area.  Crosses were broken, a statute of Jesus was destroyed, and prayer books were actually burnt at the school and convent. 

I have met with officials and security personnel today in the southern portion of Israel, and things are calm here.  For a map of Israel, click here.  For frequent updates and information about this trip, go to the Spotlight section of  the ACLJ website.

On October 5th, the European Court of Human Rights ruled unanimously in our favor in the case of The Moscow Branch of the Salvation Army v. Russia.  We have been litigating this case through our European and Russian affiliates over the last six years.  The Salvation Army officially worked in Russia from 1913 to 1923.  It was dissolved by the Russian Government in 1923 as an "anti-Soviet organization."  In 1992 the Salvation Army resumed its activities when a group of Russian nationals held a meeting and adopted Articles of Association for the Salvation Army.  On September 7, 1999, the Moscow Courts refused to recognize the Salvation Army.  This was despite the fact that two years earlier a new Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Association was put into force.

In an incredible lack of judgment, the Salvation Army was denied recognition by the Russian Government and forced to liquidate its assets because of the use of the word "army" in their name as well as their corporate structure.  In fact, the Government wrote that the Salvation Army's Book of Order and Regulations "leads one to conclude that the charter assumes that the members of the organization will inevitably break Russian law in the process of executing the Salvation Army's Orders and Regulations."  And what are those orders and regulations:  feeding the poor, meeting the needs of the homeless in Russia and providing shelter for those in need.  We litigated this case through the Russian system and we were rebuffed each and every time we brought our cause of action.

Once we completed our attempts at domestic remedies within Russia, we turned our attention to the European Court of Human Rights.  Our European Centre for Law and Justice in conjunction with our Slavic Law Center petitioned the European Court of Human Rights for review.  This is much like asking the Supreme Court of the United States to hear a case.  The decision when to hear a case is completely discretionary with the Court.  Two years ago we were notified that the Court had accepted our case for review.  We alleged that the actions of the Russian Government particularly the allegation that the Salvation Army would overthrow Russian law and policy violated Articles 9 and 11 of the European Convention of Human Rights.  Article 9 states that "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching practice and observance."  Article 11 provides that "Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others."  We argued that the actions of the Government violated the European Charter of Human Rights.  The Salvation Army was actually facing liquidation of its assets in addition to being told it could not operate in Russia because of the twisted interpretation of the Russian Courts.

On October 5th the European Court of Human Rights in a unanimous and sweeping opinion ruled in our favor.  That Court held for the first time that looking at both Article 9 and 11, that religious freedom and association must be considered together.  The Court noted that "freedom of thought, conscience or religion is one of the foundations of a democratic society within the meaning of the convention.  It is, in its religious dimension one of the most vital elements that go to make up the identity of believers and their conception of life…"  The Court went on to hold that "while this freedom is primarily a matter of individual conscious, it also implies freedom to manifest ones religion alone and in private or in community with others."  The Court’s decision brought protection to religious freedom in Europe.  This is the most significant victory in the European Courts for religious beliefs and practices.  It also allows the Salvation Army to do its job.

Finally, the European Court of Human Rights got one right.

I have just received a full report from Roger Kiska, our European Center for Law & Justice Counsel.  Roger had been in New York working on the Eighth Ad Hoc Committee of the United Nations' ("U.N.") Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities.  This, in and of itself, sounds like a worthy goal and no one objects to people with disabilities obtaining rights and dignity.  We certainly support that overall approach.  However, the Committee and its report quickly became typical politics in the U.N. 

As Roger’s report indicates, rather than focusing on disabilities, the Ad Hoc Committee brought in language about abortion.  They were successful in obtaining this goal by placing language in the Resolution which condemned “occupying forces.”  You might be asking, “What do ‘occupying forces’ have to do with issues of disability?”  The answer is, “Absolutely nothing!”  But Middle East Arab countries were willing to trade off their so-called “pro-life stand” in order to see language referring to Israel and the United States in a negative light.  Roger’s report says it all: 

Final Observations: Eighth Session of the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities

August 29, 2006

(Manhattan, New York)—The close of the Eighth Ad Hoc Committee of the United Nations on a Convention for the protection and promotion of rights and dignity of the disabled brought disappointment to conservatives and pro-lifers alike. The final week of the conference began on a hopeful note as key delegates had sworn allegiance to the American proposal of removing any reference to sexual and reproductive health from the document. The Egyptian delegate proved to be the key in this area, as his vote would determine the votes of many in the Arab world, in both the Middle East and Africa.

However, the Friday preceding the last week set a dark cloud over the negotiations as delegates aggressively argued for the addition of language in Article 11 which mentioned occupation and disability, as a blatant reference to Israel. The Friday session was closed early because of the inability of the delegates to get back on the topic of disability. It proved to be the animus shown towards Israel on that Friday which would end up being the decisive key for the pro-choice lobby at the conference to win their language on sexual and reproductive health.

In the end, after a late night session at the New Zealand mission, the conference closed with the disappointing acceptance of the reproductive health language ad referendum, with the Egyptian and many Arab delegates voting for it. Not surprisingly, as many delegates and NGO representative speculated that a deal was being struck with the European Union and Arab States for voting in favor of the abortion language, the controversial occupation language was also added to the text of the Convention. Closing comments to the plenary by both the American and Israeli delegates regarding the addition of this language greatly lamented the politicization of such a crucial document for the disabled. Both States will file formal reservations during the ratification session, and the American delegates have gone as far as saying they will not sign on to the Convention all together.

Further, the language of Qatar proposed early in the Committee plenary, which supported the right of the disabled to receive full and adequate care, including food and hydration [an obvious response to the Terri Schiavo events which transpired in the United States last year] was all but completely reworded during the negotiations due to EU disapproval, and as such lost most of its meaning.

Two steps remain in the process of completing the Convention. First, a meeting to discuss the draft stylistically will be held, without any change in the substance. This will be followed by a ratification meeting in the General Assembly of the document.

With the recent Supreme Court announcement in Colombia legalizing abortion based on customary international law as found in UN conventions, it is a bitter disappointment that the Disabilities Convention should befall the same fate. ECLJ will now focus on working with international pro-life groups in formulating a definition for sexual and reproductive health at the European Union level to keep pro-choice lobbyists from forcing the term into international conventions undefined and masking the intent of promoting an international right to abortion. This process will begin during the September plenary in Strasbourg when ECLJ representatives will meet with key EU officials to discuss the subject.

This disappointing result shows why many people feel the U.N. really stands for “UnNecessary.”

There has been a lot of activity among the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and our European and Russian affiliates over the last several days.  I am currently at our offices in Strasbourg, France where I have been meeting with former Attorney General John Ashcroft and government officials from throughout Europe.  We have discussed a number of issues, including the recent conflict that has developed in the Middle East.  General Ashcroft has correctly noted that Israel is in a unique position of neutralizing the threat of Hamas once and for all.  This is the first time that Israel has faced a situation where the Arab world is not united, there is not a Soviet threat backing hostile Arab nations, and Saddam Hussein has been neutralized in Iraq.  It is clear that Israel’s main mission is going to be to eliminate Hezbollah as a future threat in the Middle East region.  We must remember that Iran played a significant role in this conflict.  After all, it was Iran that was the center of attention at the United Nations just one day before the bombs began to fall in Israel. 

We just received word that the Washington Supreme Court has issued an order affirming the traditional definition of marriage as the relationship between a man and a woman.  This case comes on the heels of the Georgia Supreme Court, the New York court, and the Massachusetts courts all ruling to either affirm the institution of marriage or to allow its citizens to vote on this issue.  Most significantly, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8^th Circuit, in a case that we were heavily involved in, held that the Federal Defense of Marriage Act was constitutional.

Our office in Washington, DC has been busy working on the nomination issue for John Bolton as the Ambassador to the United Nations.  As mentioned in yesterday’s posting, we have formally called upon the U.S. Senate to confirm John Bolton as the Ambassador.  The recess appointment is not in the best interest of the United States.  The idea of a filibuster on John Bolton’s nomination is unfortunate and inexcusable in light of the diplomatic needs that the country is now facing.  As I have said, at a time when America and the free world need the best diplomatic team available, John Bolton has the experience, expertise and skill to represent the United States before the United Nations.

On a domestic note, I have also instructed a senior team at the ACLJ to file briefs on behalf of the School District in Miami-Dade County, which has been subject to a preliminary injunction.  The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) demanded that pro-Communist Cuban books be placed back in the school library.  This order came in despite the fact that the School Board voted to remove the series because of its inaccuracies.  We will be filing briefs to counter this move by the ACLU.  At the same time, I have asked another legal team at the ACLJ to prepare briefs countering the ACLU’s latest move:  demanding that protestors be allowed at military funerals.  We think this is inappropriate and the ACLU’s action needs to be met in court. 

I encourage you to keep updated by visiting us at www.aclj.org. 

Today we have called on the U.S. Senate to confirm John Bolton as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.  The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to begin a confirmation Thursday for Bolton.  Some members of the Senate say they will oppose Bolton’s confirmation, threatening to tie-up the nomination by preventing him from receiving an up-or-down vote by the full Senate.

At a time when America and the free world need the best diplomatic team available, John Bolton has the experience, expertise and skill to represent the United States before the United Nations.  Ambassador Bolton has served with distinction at the U.N. in his temporary post – working to protect American interests and engaging tough issues like the war on terrorism.  As a skilled negotiator, he is the right person for the job.  Any delay by the Senate in scheduling a confirmation vote on John Bolton's nomination is a disservice to the American people and would send the wrong message to leadership around the world.  The partisan politics must end.  The Senate should fulfill its constitutional obligation and move swiftly to permit an up-or-down vote now.  The country and the American people deserve nothing less.

Our office here in Strasbourg, France is busy preparing for a visit from the United States Ambassador to the European Union, Boyden Gray.  I have had the pleasure of working with Ambassador Gray on a number of judicial appointment issues over the past six years.  He will be addressing our students from Regent University who are studying in our program here in Strasbourg.  John Ashcroft and I, as well as members of our ACLJ and ECLJ team will be meeting with Ambassador Gray on the current situation in the Middle East.  We are continuing our work in developing support for the State of Israel in their ongoing conflict with Hezbollah and Hamas. 

It was gratifying to see that the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution with a vote of 410 to 8 which supports the State of Israel in its current confrontation.  The House resolution could not have been stronger and could not have come at a more important time.  House leadership cited Israel’s “unique relationship” with the United States as a reason to support this swift action in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The United States Senate passed a similar resolution on Tuesday.

What is most gratifying for the State of Israel is that from an international perspective, things have clearly moved in their direction.  Even Kofi Annan’s statements from the United Nations recognized Israel’s right to defend itself.  As we pointed out in our legal memorandum:

            “It is a fundamental principle of international law that a nation may engage in legitimate self-defense.  That principle is enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and is also recognized as part of customary international law.

Israel's current military activities are aimed against Hamas and Hezbollah, two radical Islamic terrorist groups, the former in Gaza and the West Bank and the latter in Lebanon, in response to their unprovoked attacks on Israel and its citizens and armed forces.”

In my meetings with leaders of the European Parliament, there has been a decisive shift in support of Israel.  The fact that the Arab countries are not united presents an unprecedented opportunity to remove and neutralize the threat of Hezbollah and Hamas.  Specifically, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have not come to the aid of Hezbollah or Hamas.  The government of Lebanon will be making a significant mistake if it sides with Hezbollah terrorists.  I view this military action of Israel as an attempt to liberate the people of Lebanon from an ongoing terrorist threat.

Importantly, Israel has opened up humanitarian channels so that aid can be given to civilians who have been impacted by this action.  The Israeli government has also continued a build-up of tanks and troops at the Lebanon border.  To remove the threat of Hezbollah, ground action may well be necessary.  Now is not the time for a cease-fire.  While we all hope for ultimate peace in the region, it is not realistic to have Israel see the success that it has militarily and then pull back, thereby allowing Hezbollah to rebuild.  This terrorist threat must be neutralized once and for all.  President Bush has done an outstanding job in backing our loyal ally, Israel.  At this critical time, it is important for all of us to stand united in this most significant battle.  On our radio broadcast today, we will have former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft giving his input on the situation in the Middle East.  General Ashcroft was in Israel as the conflict was developing. 

I would encourage you to view our photo gallery, which includes photographs from our current conference going on here in Europe.  Also, continue to stand with Israel and sign on to our Proclamation for Solidarity by clicking here.

This morning, I have continued our efforts here in Strasbourg, France on behalf of building support for the State of Israel in the current struggle with Hezbollah.  It was gratifying to see that the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution with a vote of 410 to 8 which supports the State of Israel in its current confrontation.  The House resolution could not have been stronger and could not have come at a more important time.  House leadership cited Israel’s “unique relationship” with the United States as a reason to support this swift action in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The United States Senate passed a similar resolution on Tuesday.

What is most gratifying for the State of Israel is that from an international perspective, things have clearly moved in their direction.  Even Kofi Annan’s statements from the United Nations recognized Israel’s right to defend itself.  As we pointed out in our legal memorandum:

            “It is a fundamental principle of international law that a nation may engage in legitimate self-defense.  That principle is enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and is also recognized as part of customary international law.

Israel's current military activities are aimed against Hamas and Hezbollah, two radical Islamic terrorist groups, the former in Gaza and the West Bank and the latter in Lebanon, in response to their unprovoked attacks on Israel and its citizens and armed forces.”

In my meetings with leaders of the European Parliament, there has been a decisive shift in support of Israel.  The fact that the Arab countries are not united presents an unprecedented opportunity to remove and neutralize the threat of Hezbollah and Hamas.  Specifically, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have not come to the aid of Hezbollah or Hamas.  The government of Lebanon will be making a significant mistake if it sides with Hezbollah terrorists.  I view this military action of Israel as an attempt to liberate the people of Lebanon from an ongoing terrorist threat.

Importantly, Israel has opened up humanitarian channels so that aid can be given to civilians who have been impacted by this action.  The Israeli government has also continued a build-up of tanks and troops at the Lebanon border.  To remove the threat of Hezbollah, ground action may well be necessary.  Now is not the time for a cease-fire.  While we all hope for ultimate peace in the region, it is not realistic to have Israel see the success that it has militarily and then pull back, thereby allowing Hezbollah to rebuild.  This terrorist threat must be neutralized once and for all.  President Bush has done an outstanding job in backing our loyal ally, Israel.  At this critical time, it is important for all of us to stand united in this most significant battle.  On our radio broadcast today, we will have noted author and Middle East expert David Brog. 

I would encourage you to continue to stand with Israel and sign on to our Proclamation for Solidarity by clicking here.

The last several days I have spent at our offices in Strasbourg, France.  We have over 40 law students attending our joint program between the European Center for Law and Justice and Regent University.  The program includes courses on International Human Rights, National Security, and Diplomacy.  Yesterday, our two senior attorneys from Russia shared their experiences on the ever-changing climate on religious freedom in the former Soviet Union.  Their work has laid a foundation of change in Russia.  Today our students will be hearing from members of the European Parliament and the former Minister of Justice for Slovakia.  Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft is also instructing our students and meeting with our team to discuss the global issues that we are now facing.

On yesterday’s radio broadcast, I had the opportunity to interview Bastiaan Belder, a member of the European Parliament who also serves as the Vice-Chairman for the Israel Relations Committee, spoke to the importance of standing up with Israel at this critical time.  Mr. Belder related to our audience that in every debate before the European Council and the European Commission, he has defended the right of the existence of the Jewish State of Israel.  He has also openly criticized the European Council and the European Commission when they, in his view, neglect their proclaimed principles of safe borders for Israel and fail to recognize Israel’s struggle against terrorism. 

In a similar vein, Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard set forth why the current struggle in the Middle East is different from previous ones: 

“Most of Israel’s traditional Arab enemies have checked out of the current conflict. The governments of Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia are, to say the least, indifferent to the fate of Hamas and Hezbollah. The Palestine Liberation Organization (Fatah) isn’t a player. The prime mover behind the terrorist groups who have started this war is a non-Arab state, Iran, which wasn’t involved in any of Israel’s previous wars.”

In this regard, Bill Kristol has established the precise issue that is developing in the Middle East. We are working with members of the European Parliament as well as members of the United States Senate in defense of the State of Israel.  We have also received support from over 50,000 American citizens who are now standing for Israel.  If you have not yet lent your name of support to the Proclamation for Solidarity with Israel, I encourage you to do so by clicking here. 

On today’s broadcast, I will have as my guest Joel Rosenberger, who is a noted author and expert on the Middle East.  I will also have The Honorable Dan Lipsic, the former Justice Minister for the nation of Slovakia and an expert on Israeli relations.  Just as our students are being exposed to the global impact of the current conflict, our members and radio audiences around the world are also receiving input from experts in the arena.  Our offices in Washington, DC; Strasbourg, France; and Moscow are all engaged in the defense of the State of Israel at this critical time.  It will take a global effort to aid our ally in the Middle East. 

Looking back over the last two weeks, I am amazed at all that has taken place!  Towards the end of June, the Mt. Soledad cross case reached its highest point with Justice Kennedy issuing first a Temporary Stay and then a Permanent Stay.  This was the culmination of six-weeks’ worth of intense work by the ACLJ staff lawyers, Government Affairs team, and members across the country.  Just seven weeks ago, we were able to convince the San Diego City Council to appeal the decision, which they did in a 5-3 vote.  That vote set up the framework for an amazing and quick journey to the Supreme Court of the United States.  No sooner had I arrived in Israel for a series of meetings on international issues than word came of Justice Kennedy’s opinion in our favor, putting in place a Stay throughout the entire appeals process.  This has given our Government Affairs staff an opportunity to work on legislative alternatives.  It also sent a very strong message to the lower courts that a majority of the Court was of the view that the Mt. Soledad memorial was, in fact, constitutional.  Our work continues on this important case. 

I also want to recap a series of victories which have taken place over the last few days that did not receive due coverage because of the international issues developing in the Middle East.  Our Senior Counsel Vince McCarthy, who has been handling the marriage issues around the country, gave me an exciting report.  In just a matter of days, courts in Connecticut, New York, Georgia and Nebraska all ruled in favor of the traditional view of marriage.  Significantly, the 8^th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court that had declared the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.  That Act, which the ACLJ helped draft, was passed by Congress and stated that no state should be required to recognize a same-sex marriage from another state.  A trial court held the statute unconstitutional.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8^th Circuit reversed in a stunning opinion, which is a major victory for our efforts.  Our ACLJ staff worked on the briefs that were filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8^th Circuit.  Even the Massachusetts Supreme Court held that the citizens were entitled to vote on the definition of marriage, which should set back the redefinition agenda significantly. 

Just as the reports were coming in on the marriage issue and while I was in Israel, the Middle East became the focal point of concern.  In fact, while I was in Israel meeting with government officials and expressing our solidarity with them, tensions in the Middle East rose significantly.   As I am writing you, Israel has announced that they may well be sending in ground troops to the Lebanese border.  This is a critical time for Americans, and especially Christians, to stand with Israel.  We are encouraging our members to sign on to a Proclamation for Solidarity with Israel.  I am happy to report that within just a matter of hours, we received 40,000 signatures to this proclamation.   If you would like to join us in this proclamation of support for Israel, just click here.

Finally, I am now in Strasbourg, France, at our European Center for Law and Justice offices.  Forty Regent University law students, as well as law students from other schools, are attending a month-long program on international human rights.  We are privileged, once again, to have former Attorney General John Ashcroft participating with us.  This has come at a particularly important time as our European staff is busy working on building support for Israel here in Europe.  In fact, we have already seen a shift in the right direction coming out of the G8 Summit that just completed.  I encourage you to tune into Jay Sekulow Live! for updated information.  I cannot think of a better time to have John Ashcroft with our students than right now. 

I have just returned from Israel to our offices in Strasbourg, France.  We left Israel literally moments before the full-scale attacks began in the northern portion of Israel near the Sea of Galilee.  Within hours of our landing in France, the matron scope of the war that Israel is now engaged in became evident.  I believe that Israel has been placed in jeopardy because of the terrorist action of the regime of Hezbollah and Hamas.  Israel is now forced to conduct military actions on both its northern and southern borders.  While the people of Israel are accustomed to constant threats and hostilities, this latest action is perhaps the greatest threat to Israel in over a decade. 

I am at our offices in Strasbourg, France, and have met with our staff concerning the international reaction to Israel’s defense.  Not surprisingly, members of the European Union have been critical of Israel’s response, while being almost silent as to the actions of Hamas and Hezbollah. 

I have instructed our offices in Washington, DC, and our European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ) office here in France to take immediate action.  If you would like information about our ECLJ, please click here.  I will be talking with members of the European Parliament over the weekend and into next week.  I have instructed our Associate Counsel, Roger Kiska, who heads up our legal efforts here, to contact European Parliament members who are sympathetic to Israel’s plight.  That process is well underway.  At the same time, I have instructed our office in Washington, DC, to be in contact with U.S. officials to show solidarity and support for the nation of Israel.  This morning I briefly spoke with a representative from the U.S. Ambassador’s Office regarding the current situation, and the seriousness of this present situation was clear. 

We have prepared a Proclamation of Support for the State of Israel that we would like you to participate in.  The Proclamation is straightforward and states:

            We proclaim to President George W. Bush and the people of Israel that we support FREEDOM AT ALL COSTS!  Just as President Bush proclaimed, "There will never be peace so long as there is terror."  If freedom is attacked in any country or nation ... it is attacked in every country and nation.  That is particularly true in Israel — we cannot sit idly by and watch terror reign in the Middle East.

True freedom and peace can only arise after the terrorist infrastructure has been eliminated.

We, the undersigned, in solidarity with the State of Israel, pledge our support in the fight against terrorism and the fight for freedom.  We are asking President Bush to firmly back Israel in this battle and to stand with the people of Israel in the ongoing struggle against terrorism.

If you would like to join this proclamation, click here.  We will keep you posted as issues continue to develop.

I have spent the last week in Israel on a variety of projects.  As most of you know, this morning Hezbollah forces abducted two Israeli soldiers and killed a number of others.  At the same time in the south of the country at the Gaza Strip, there has been continuous rocket fire from Hamas agents aimed at Israeli villages.  Despite these reports of military action, I will tell you that the atmosphere in Israel is still upbeat.  The people of Israel have been accustomed to constant threats and hostile action.  The Israeli government led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this morning said that the actions of Hezbollah constituted an act of war.  We concur completely with his assessment.  We actually traveled within 30 miles of the border of Lebanon, and it was apparent that the military here in Israel has mobilized. 

As these actions are taking place, we must continue to show our solidarity with the Israeli government and the people of Israel.  The fact of the matter is that this area is a beacon of light in a very difficult region of the world.  The Israeli people remain resolute in their determination for the survival of their nation, and we must do everything we can to assist.

While in Israel, I had the opportunity to meet various religious and government officials.  Members of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) with whom I met understand the importance of maintaining the defense of the land and the protection of the Israeli people.  From Israel, I will be in our offices in Strasbourg, France, where over 40 law students from Regent University will be studying international human rights issues.  In addition, lawyers from our offices in Moscow will be attending, as will some of our senior lawyers from the United States.  Former Attorney General John Ashcroft, who serves as a Distinguished Professor of Law and Government at Regent University, will also be instructing our students.  It is important that Christian law students undertake a study of global international issues to be effective agents for good.  We are encouraged by our law students’ participation and look forward to an important time.  I will be giving updates as our meetings progress. 

I am happy to report that all charges against Abdul Rahman, the Afghan Christian who was charged with the crime of converting from Islam have been dropped.  In fact, Mr. Rahman has been taken to Italy in order to be protected.  Drew Ryan of our Governmental Affairs staff met yesterday with members of the White House team concerning this issue.  Reports are already coming out of Afghanistan that there are at least three other Christians who have been arrested and charged with the crime of converting from Islam.  This crime carries with it the death penalty.  Our Governmental Affairs office in Washington, DC, is working to ensure that Christians are protected in their ability to practice their faith.  As we pointed out in our legal memo, the Afghan Constitution specifically incorporated the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights, which includes the ability to change one’s religion without repercussion.   Our European Center for Law & Justice has also been working on this important issue. 

We have also filed our amicus brief on behalf of 47 members of Congress in support of the federal government’s request to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”  We believe the court should dismiss this lawsuit which has no basis in fact and represents another flawed attempt to use the legal system to remove a legitimate reference to the religious heritage of our nation.  Our nation’s history is replete with examples of acknowledgment of religious belief in the public sector, and the Supreme Court has repeatedly referenced the national motto as a legitimate expression of our religious heritage.  It’s clear that the national motto is not only permissible, but constitutional as well; and we’re hopeful that the federal district court will dismiss this frivolous lawsuit.

Yesterday evening, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated that her office was very deeply concerned over the developments in the case, and that she has raised the issue in the strongest possible terms with President Karzai.  Secretary Rice went on to say that there is no more fundamental issue for the United States than freedom of religion and religious conscience.  She noted that “this country was founded on that basis and it is at the heart of democracy.”  These comments were made after our letter was delivered to the President, the Secretary of State, the Afghanistan Ambassador and the representatives of President Karzai. 

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan also said yesterday that the White House is maintaining close contact with government officials to make sure that religious freedom is protected.  We pointed out in our letter that the Afghan Constitution specifically adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which provides for protection of religious liberty and religious freedom.  McClellan stated, “The actions of the government violate universal freedoms of democracy, and also clearly violate the Afghan Constitution, which, in it, talks about the rights of individuals to worship freely.  Freedom of worship, tolerance, and freedom of expression are a foundation of democracies.”  This was the precise language we put forward in our letters and legal positions.  President Bush has gone on to state specifically that he expects the Afghan government to “honor the universal principle of freedom.”   He stated that he was “deeply troubled” by the developments in the case. 

Our international offices are working with European Parliament members; and I was notified yesterday that our Slavic Center for Law & Justice in Moscow issued formal letters of complaint to governmental embassies of Afghanistan in Moscow, as well as with Russian officials.  As you can see, the American Center for Law & Justice, the European Center for Law & Justice, and the Slavic Center for Law & Justice are totally engaged in this important matter.  We will keep you posted as things develop. 

For those just tuning into this story, I’d like to give you a quick synopsis of the case:

This Wednesday, March 22, our offices around the globe activated to come to the aid of a 41-year-old man named Abdul Rahman, who is facing the death penalty for becoming a Christian.  In a case that is now the first of its kind under the new constitution of Afghanistan, which was ratified in 2004, Abdul Rahman is being charged with leaving the faith of Islam for Christianity.  Under Sharia law, this is a crime punishable by death.  Abdul stood on trial last Thursday and confessed to having converted to Christianity 16 years ago while working as an aid worker in Pakistan.  The trial was one day long and the Judge is expected to issue a ruling within the next two months.  Importantly, the Judge has given interviews to the press and one of his most significant quotes states, “We are not against any particular religion in the world.  But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law.  It’s an attack on Islam.”  The President and other diplomats in Washington have begun to put some pressure on Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. 

We have prepared a comprehensive memorandum of law that will be circulated both to U.S. Congressmen and Senators as well as Members of the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg, France.  We have also sent letters to President Bush, President Karzai and the Ambassador to the United States from Afghanistan.  Under the Afghanistan Constitution, specifically, Article 7 states: “(1) The state shall abide by the UN Charter, international treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan has signed, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”  Under the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights which provides the strongest language in defense of Mr. Rahman, Article 18 states:  “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

This morning at 10 o’clock, our office delivered legal memorandums and letters to President Bush, President Karzai, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Afghanistan Ambassador Jawad.  We have provided an analysis of the Afghan Constitution and have concluded that under Afghan law, Mr. Rahman is protected in his conversion to Christianity.  The letter, which can be read by clicking here, asks that President Karzai exercise his constitutional authority to not allow this prosecution to move forward.  We pointed out that this is an international issue of human rights and not simply a domestic matter for the Afghan government.  Although Islam is the official religion of Afghanistan, Article 7 of the Constitution specifically incorporates the United Nations’ declaration of universal rights, which allow for religious freedom, including changing one’s religion. 

Our Office of Governmental Affairs in Washington, DC, as well as our offices in Europe, is working on this matter; and we will keep everyone posted as the issues progress.  For more information on this case, please read yesterday’s Notebook entry below:

March 22, 2006

ACLJ to Ask for Legal Protection for Christian Convert from Islam

This morning at 9:30 a.m., I activated our American Center for Law and Justice offices in Washington, D.C. and Virginia, as well as our European Centre for Law and Justice in Strasbourg, France, to come to the aid of a 41-year-old man named Abdul Rahman.  Mr. Rahman faces the death penalty for becoming a Christian.  In a case that is now the first of its kind under the new constitution of Afghanistan, which was ratified in 2004, Abdul Rahman is being charged with leaving the faith of Islam for Christianity.  Under Sharia law, this is a crime punishable by death.  Abdul stood on trial last Thursday and confessed to having converted to Christianity 16 years ago while working as an aid worker in Pakistan.  The trial was one day long and the Judge is expected to issue a ruling within the next two months.  Importantly, the Judge has given interviews to the press and one of his most significant quotes states, “We are not against any particular religion in the world.  But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law.  It’s an attack on Islam.”  The President and other diplomats in Washington have begun to put some pressure on Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. 

We are preparing a comprehensive memorandum of law that will be circulated both to U.S. Congressmen and Senators as well as Members of the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg, France.  We are also sending letters to President Bush, President Karzai and the Ambassador to the United States from Afghanistan.  Under the Afghanistan Constitution, specifically, Article 7 states: “(1) The state shall abide by the UN Charter, international treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan has signed, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”  Under the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights which provides the strongest language in defense of Mr. Rahman, Article 18 states:  “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

We plan on issuing letters this afternoon and legal memorandums in the next few days.  We will keep you posted. 

This morning at 9:30 a.m., I activated our American Center for Law and Justice offices in Washington, D.C. and Virginia, as well as our European Centre for Law and Justice in Strasbourg, France, to come to the aid of a 41-year-old man named Abdul Rahman.  Mr. Rahman faces the death penalty for becoming a Christian.  In a case that is now the first of its kind under the new constitution of Afghanistan, which was ratified in 2004, Abdul Rahman is being charged with leaving the faith of Islam for Christianity.  Under Sharia law, this is a crime punishable by death.  Abdul stood on trial last Thursday and confessed to having converted to Christianity 16 years ago while working as an aid worker in Pakistan.  The trial was one day long and the Judge is expected to issue a ruling within the next two months.  Importantly, the Judge has given interviews to the press and one of his most significant quotes states, “We are not against any particular religion in the world.  But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law.  It’s an attack on Islam.”  The President and other diplomats in Washington have begun to put some pressure on Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.   

We are preparing a comprehensive memorandum of law that will be circulated both to U.S. Congressmen and Senators as well as Members of the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg, France.  We are also sending letters to President Bush, President Karzai and the Ambassador to the United States from Afghanistan.  Under the Afghanistan Constitution, specifically, Article 7 states: “(1)  The state shall abide by the UN Charter, international treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan has signed, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”  Under the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights which provides the strongest language in defense of Mr. Rahman, Article 18 states:  “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” 

We plan on issuing letters this afternoon and legal memorandums in the next few days.  We will keep you posted.