A former Muslim from Iran, Jalil Mashali, who converted to Christianity, was recently fined by the traffic department in Essen, Germany.
Newsroom (7/03/2024 10:37, Gaudium Press) According to the Christian human rights organization ADF International, in the city of Essen, Germany, taxi driver Jalil Mashali was fined up to 1,000 euros for alleged illegal “religious advertising”, due to small sticker with a Bible verse on the rear window of his car that reads: “Jesus – I am the way, the truth, and the life”.
Mashali has lived in Germany for 22 years. He was born and raised as a Muslim in Iran, where he lost his left leg in a traffic accident at the age of 13.
At the age of 33, he decided to seek medical treatment in Germany in the hope of finding relief from his pain. Despite more than 20 surgeries, the pain persisted, leading Mashali to contemplate suicide. It was then that a Christian woman approached him and offered to pray. Although skeptical, he accepted and experienced complete pain relief after the prayer, which led him to become interested in reading the Bible. Mashali remains firm in his Christian faith, and for him, the sticker is not mere religious advertising, but an expression of his deep convictions.
In October 2023, Mashali received a letter from the highway department, which pointed out that the sticker was illegal “religious propaganda”, which is not allowed in cabs according to an ordinance. However, Mashali did not remove the sticker, arguing that it did not constitute advertising due to its content, location, and small size.
“Jesus is the best thing I could recommend to anyone because he changed my life. That’s why I have the sticker on my car for anyone who wants to see it. I don’t intend to cause trouble, but I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m grateful for this country where everyone should be free to share their faith. I hope I can continue to do so by appealing this unjust fine,” said Jalil Mashali.
Lidia Rieder, a lawyer working for the ADF, which is helping the taxi driver, emphasized that Mashali’s actions are protected by the fundamental human right to freedom of religion. “In a free society, the government should not silence or censor peaceful expressions of faith. Jalil’s actions are protected by the basic human right to freedom of religion, which includes the right to share one’s deeply held convictions with others. The state must avoid unjustly interfering with this freedom.”
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
