The federal court has recently decided to allow four Christians who converted from Islam to begin to take steps to have their conversions from Islam legally recognised and have the word Islam removed from their identity cards. When this decision was announced on 28 February, the solicitor for the Christians began to receive death threats. Although the constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the right to propagate it, there has been a pattern of religious discrimination in Malaysia. Now that this ‘apostasy’ case has been heard, it could uphold the constitution, clarifying a Muslim’s right to convert to other religions including Christianity. If the next hearing allows them to be registered as Christians, it could lead to amending the law and making it clearer for future cases. Meanwhile Baru Bian, their lawyer, continues to receive death threats. See