1.  Define the following words as used in the article:

• apostasy (para. 1)
• convert (verb) (1)
• capital punishment (2)
• blasphemy (7)
• shari-a (2)

2.  Match the following people referred to in the article with their description:

_____ Abdul-Rabb al-Rasul Sayyaf
_____ Hamid Karzai
_____ Adbul Rahman
_____ Simi Samar
_____ Fazl Hadi Shinwari

a. Afghan Women's Affairs Minister
b. Afghan who converted from Islam to Christianity
c. mujahedeen leader and current lawmaker
d. chief justice of the Afghan Supreme Court
e. president of Afghanistan

3.  a) Of what crime has Abdul Rahman been accused? 
b) What punishment will he probably receive?

4.  For what reasons was the appointment of Mr. Shinwari to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court controversial? (List four.)

5.  Why did Judge Shinwari summon Ms. Samar to appear before the court?

6.  a) What hardline statements and actions has Judge Shinwari made that are similar to those of Taliban leaders? 
b) For what reasons has Human Rights Watch criticized Shinwari?

7.  a) What is the Afghan Compact? 
b) What suggestions were included in an initiative about Supreme Court reform given to Karzai by European diplomats?