London, Asharq Al-Awsat- An Afghan citizen might face capital punishment for converting to Christianity.

41-year-old Abdul Rahman al-Afghani was arrested last month after his family accused him of converting to Christianity. In his trial Abdul Rahman told the judge he converted 16 years ago following conversations he had with a medical aid worker helping Afghani refugees in Pakistan.

His trial began last week, and under the Shariaa laws he could be sentenced to death.

The trial is focusing much attention on Afghanistan, as it is the first of its kind since the fall of the Islamic regime of the Taliban four years ago.

The prosecutor, Abdulwasi, said he had offered to drop the charges if the defended would convert back to Islam, but he had refused to do so.