Italy this evening offered asylum to an Afghan Christian convert who had faced the death penalty, but members of the Afghan parliament condemned his release from jail and said he should not be allowed to leave the country.
Abdur Rahman (40) was jailed this month for abandoning Islam and could have faced trial under Islamic sharia law that stipulates death as punishment for apostasy.
He was freed from prison yesterday after pressure from Western states whose troops helped bring the Afghan government to power.
The United Nations says he is seeking asylum abroad. "We will be happy to welcome a man who has shown great courage," Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told reporters in Rome when asked if Italy would grant Mr Rahman asylum.
Mr Rahman's jailing raised a storm of protest in the West, with the United States leading calls for his religious freedom to be respected and for him to be released.
But at the same time, many religious conservatives in Afghanistan have been demanding Mr Rahman be punished under Islamic law, with some warning of rebellion if the government gave in to Western pressure and released him.
His whereabouts were being kept secret to ensure his safety, officials said, but there was no indication he had left the country.
While Mr Rahman's release has satisfied western demands, President Hamid Karzai might still have to face the anger of religious conservatives. Political rivals might also try to take advantage of the row, analysts say.