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Bahaa el-Din Ahmed Hussein el-Akkad (57), a former Muslim leader who converted to Christianity and was jailed in April 2005 (click here for more details), was released without charges on April 28, according to a May 24 report from Compass Direct. No official reason was given for his unexpected release. A week earlier, his lawyer's appeal had been denied by the Emergency Court. Only hours before he was freed, authorities reportedly told him that he would remain in prison for another ten years if he did not return to Islam. El-Akkad is currently at home with his family. He returned to find hundreds of letters and cards waiting for him that had been mailed over the past few months in a concentrated letter-writing campaign from Christians around the world. According to local Christians, he is being closely monitored by authorities and continues to be under threat.
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