The crime of apostasy. (Letters to the editor).

Regarding Michael I. Niman's "Indefinite Detention and Other Tales from the New America" ("Human Rights Watch," September/October 2002), I only want to point out that both Jose Padilla and John Walker Lindh are young men who decided to leave Christianity to adopt the Muslim faith. I suppose that is their greatest crime in the eyes of our religious right. As long as the right wing fanatics are in power here, these two men won't see justice done. Their rights don't exist.

Where is our loudly proclaimed religious liberty? I hope that some day there will be real trials to see if they are guilty of anything punishable. I thank Professor Niman for speaking out for all of us.

Sigrid Maldonado
Dunbarton, NH