Diplomats hope to visit aid workers

The foreigners were accused of proselytising Afghans

Diplomats representing eight foreign aid workers who have been detained in Afghanistan are hoping to visit them at the weekend.

The officials from Germany, the United States and Australia say they hope to get visas to enter Afghanistan on Saturday.

Afghanistan's ruling Taleban have accused the eight foreigners of propagating Christianity.

An exemplary punishment is essential to end such un-Islamic practice by any foreign group in Afghanistan

Afghan Chief Justice Mullah Noor Mohammad Saqib

They were arrested along with 16 Afghans and were all part of the German-based Shelter Now International.

The Western diplomats held an hour-long meeting with the Taleban ambassador to Pakistan in Islamabad.

Taleban ambassador Abdul Salam Zaeef said they were co-operating with the American, Australian and German diplomats.

"It's their right to go to Kabul to see their nationals," he said.

Once they receive the permits, the diplomats could travel to Kabul on a United Nations flight scheduled for Sunday morning.

'Proselytising'

The detained aid workers have yet to be charged but the Taleban have made it clear that they consider them to be guilty of proselytising.

The Taleban ambassador said he was co-operating

The Taleban-controlled Radio Shariat said the foreigners had been inviting Afghan families and attracting children to "the abolished religion" - meaning Christianity.

"Islam is a complete code of life and those who engage in proselytising in the country had no other purpose than to create mischief and unrest," the Afghan Islamic Press quoted the country's Chief Justice, Mullah Noor Mohammad Saqib, as saying.

"An exemplary punishment is essential to end such un-Islamic practice by any foreign group in Afghanistan," he said.

The Taleban religious police have said that two decrees forbid the act of proselytising.

One edict passed in January makes it a capital offence.

The other, more recent decree applies only to non-Afghans and orders deportation or up to one month in jail.

The BBC's Afghanistan correspondent, Kate Clark, says the key issue could be whether any of the Afghans are deemed guilty of renouncing Islam.

That could increase the severity of any punishment the foreigners could be given.

Any Afghan who is considered to have embraced Christianity could face the death penalty.