"Injustice for Algerian Christians"

Submitted by Lactantius Jr (United Kingdom), Jun 10, 2008 at 02:06

To sTs

I paste in verbatim below, another report about the treatment of Algerian Christians, this report published by CISA (Catholic Information Service for Africa) on Friday 6^th.June.

Do you still say "go and live in Algeria" and see how the Christian "native people of these countries" are treated?

With kind regards and best wishes

Lactantius Jr.

Catholic Information Service for Africa

http://www.cisanewsafrica.org/story.asp?ID=3197

Written By:CISA , Posted: Fri, Jun 06, 2008

ALGIERS, June 6 (CISA) -Four Algerians who converted to Christianity have been condemned to prison and heavy fines, while two others were set free after renouncing their conversion.

The defence lawyer said the four were charged with "illegally practicing a non-Muslim faith," the French news agency AFP reported.

Attorney Khelloudja Khalfoun said one of the converts was sentenced to six months in prison and fined US $3,087, while the other three were sentenced to two months in prison and fined

US $1,544 each.

The four converts, who were condemned by a court in Tiaret, refused to deny their faith, in contrast with the two others who were freed. Kheloudja told AFP that he would appeal the verdict, since only the ones who admitted they had converted were found guilty.

"They were judged by the facts themselves, and therefore all should be guilty or all should be freed," he said.

The group of six converts was sentenced after being arrested for participating in an "illegal" service. According to a law passed in February of 2006 on religious worship in Algeria, places of worship must be designated as such by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The court that handed down the verdict was the same court that tried Habiba Kouider, who was arrested on April 1 for carrying a Bible and "practicing a non-Muslim religion without a license." International media attention caused the judge to try to relieve some of the pressure by delaying her case and asking for an investigation.

Another court in the city of Tissemsilt will issue a verdict against two other converts to Christianity on June 18, who were arrested on November 20, 2007, and condemned to two years in prison and fines of US $7,718. They appealed the verdict and are awaiting the results of the appeal.

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