The Supreme Ulema Council of Morocco plans to issue a fatwa decreeing the death penalty for apostasy, according to Moroccan news website Lakome.  This council, which consists of religious Muslim scholars (ulema) appointed by the Ministry of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs, is considered the highest religious government institution in Morocco. Lakome reports that this information was made public earlier this week by the Moroccan daily newspaper Akhbar Al Youm.  The Council recently voiced its opinion on freedom of religion, claiming that the death penalty should be applied to Moroccan Muslims who convert from Islam. According to another Moroccan website Medias24, this issue was discussed all day long this past Tuesday on Moroccan radio. Both Lakome and Medias24 reported that this fatwa was requested by and sent to the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights of Morocco, led by Mahjoub El Haiba.  However, Mr. El Haiba denies having received any fatwa or...(Read Full Post)