This is just the beginning of what is to come
shortly to the EU, this is what is knocking at their
door and at the door of
Independent Catholic News
ALGIERS - 9 June 2008
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 more than 3, 000 US
dollars while the other three were sentenced to two months in prison and fined.
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. (House meeting) According to a law passed in February of
2006 on religious worship in
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
Source: CISA
© Independent
Catholic News 2008