10 February 2011
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon
Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Cannon,
On behalf of The Canadian Council of Churches whose 23 member denominations represent 85% of the Christians in Canada, we write to express our deep concern over the situation of Musa Sayed. The news is that he is to be executed very soon because of his conversion to Christianity for which he has been charged with apostasy. Mr. Sayed has worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross for some 15 years, is married and is the father of six children. He is an Afghani amputee specializing in the fitting of children’s prostheses. He is currently in prison.
It is fundamental to Canadian values that the Government of Canada condemn such religious persecution and prevail on the Government of Afghanistan to commute Mr. Sayed’s sentence and indeed, free him from prison.
We have confidence in your good offices and commitment to righting a dire and unjust situation.
Yours truly,
The Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton
General Secretary, The Canadian Council of Churches
The Rev. Bruce Adema
President, The Canadian Council of Churches,
Canadian Ministries Director, The Christian Reformed Church in North America