Under Sentence of Death

Last April I told BreakPoint listeners about the case of Robert Hussein, a Kuwaiti convert to Christianity. At that time, Hussein was on trial in Kuwait, charged with apostasy. That trial has just ended. Hussein has been found guilty and is now under what amounts to a death sentence. And he will almost certainly be killed for his faith unless international pressure is brought to bear on the Kuwaiti government. Robert Hussein first encountered Christianity several years ago while studying in the United States. When he returned to Kuwait two years ago, Hussein openly identified himself as a Christian. He led Bible studies in his home and passed out Christian literature. But his Kuwaiti neighbors took a dim view of Hussein's embrace of Christianity. In the Muslim world, those who reject Islam are viewed as betraying not only Islam, but their culture and families as well. It's considered the ultimate, unforgivable offense. And so, like St. Paul, Robert Hussein has suffered the loss of all things for the sake of the gospel. His wife left him. He's no longer able to see his children. His family has disowned him and confiscated his business. His home was ransacked and he began to receive death threats. Worst of all, three Muslim lawyers took it upon themselves to accuse Hussein of apostasy before a Kuwaiti court. Now, to understand this case, you must understand that Kuwait has two courts--an Islamic court responsible for religious law, and a constitutional court, which handles civil and criminal matters. Hussein was taken before the Islamic court. Every month for six months, Hussein came out of hiding to appear before this court. He steadfastly argued that his case ought to be heard before the constitutional court instead--a court he believed would protect his right to convert to Christianity, as the constitution of Kuwait provides. But Hussein's argument fell on deaf ears. And, on May 29, a judge declared Hussein guilty of apostasy. Theoretically, this meant Hussein would only be stripped of certain civil rights. But in reality, the court has declared open season on Hussein. As one Kuwaiti newspaper put it, "Islamic scholars have emphasized that Hussein must be killed" for his offense against Islam. Every faithful Muslim in Kuwait will consider it his duty to kill him. The only thing that can save Hussein now will be a cry of outrage from the outside world--especially those countries who shed the blood of their sons and daughters on behalf of Kuwait just a few years ago. Let's face it, that country exists only because of us. Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf is asking his fellow congressmen to sign a letter he's sending to the Crown Prince of Kuwait. The letter asks the Kuwaiti government to appoint an attorney to represent Robert Hussein, to guard his life, and to make a public statement affirming Hussein's constitutional right to practice the religion of his choice. Please, call your congressman and ask him to sign Congressman Wolf's letter. Call and pressure the U.S. State Department, the Kuwaiti Embassy, and the White House about this. Call BreakPoint, and we'll send you their telephone numbers. Please don't delay. A fellow Christian's life may depend on it.

06/11/96