Only insanity test can save him

The Supreme Court said on Sunday that it would not proceed with the trial of Abdul Rahman, after testimony from his relatives that he is mentally unstable.

It referred the case back to the Attorney General who, pending the results of the tests, can return the case to court or dismiss it.

8220;In our law it is clear8212; if one is not mentally healthy, he or she cannot be tried, he can be freed,8221; Wasay said.

The case has stirred a storm of protest in the US and other nations on which Afghanistan relies to rebuild and stem a deadly Taliban insurgency.

These nations have demanded Afghanistan to respect international laws on freedom of religion.

But the government, which does not want to alienate its allies, is also under pressure from religious circles to respect Islamic Sharia law on which the constitution is partly based.

Around 200 men demonstrated in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif today against the court decision not to proceed with the trial.