How brittle and insecure the faith of the Muslims in question must be, if it has to be protected with these draconian punitive measures.
“Christian in Algeria Sentenced to Prison, Heavy Fine,” Morning Star News, July 9, 2021:
TIZI-OUZOU, Algeria (Morning Star News) – A judge in Algeria on Thursday (July 8) sentenced a Christian to six months in prison and fine of 100,000 dinars (US$740) for allegedly accepting unauthorized donations to spread Christianity, the convert from Islam said.
Ahmed Beghal (name changed for security reasons) received the sentence at a court hearing in Khemis Meliana, in Ain-Defla Province, about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Algiers. He denies the charge and says related allegations – distributing Bibles, printing and distributing Christian literature and thus “shaking the faith of a Muslim” – are also all false.
“Accusations were brought against me by the National Gendarmerie to the court in a false and forged report,” Beghal told Morning Star News, adding that he has suffered emotionally “because of this injustice and pitfalls on the part of my family, society, court and security.”
Beghal’s wife and children left him in 2017 because of his conversion to Christianity, and he said he has faced persecution from others….
He said his lawyer, Maitre Kebatti, did not appear at court for the sentencing nor at a June 30 hearing. Beghal said he was forced to sign Gendarmerie report without reading it, and that the charges were based on this report….
The charges were based on Algeria’s 2006 law regulating non-Muslim worship, known as Law 03/06, which criminalizes any activity “which aim to undermine the faith of a Muslim.” Punishment can range from two to five years in prison and fines of 500,000 to 1 million Algerian dinars (US$3,745 to US$7,490)….
Islam is the state religion in the 99-percent Muslim country. Since 2000, thousands of Algerian Muslims have put their faith in Christ. Algerian officials estimate the number of Christians at 50,000, but others say it could be twice that number.
Algeria ranked 24th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2021 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, up from 42nd place in 2018.
Walter Sieruk says
The prison sentence to that Christian is yet another tragic example Muslim persecution of Christians for teaching Bible doctrines.
Furthermore the Christian who was sentenced to prison for “undermine the faith of a Muslim ” only reveals the a weak and fragile religion Islam must actually be, with no sold ,valid reasoned based augments to uphold it , from either the Bible or logic, Therefore Muslim in power in Islamic countries use prison to silence the critics of Islam
mortimer says
Christianity requires every Christian to ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28.19) It is as much a part of Christianity as the JIHADIST DOCTRINE Is a part of Islam.
Under modern human rights codes, Muslims have no right to demand that Christians not practice a central tenet of the Christian faith, namely, to announce the ‘good news’ of divine redemption.
mortimer says
Anyone who is deluded into thinking Islam is benign should look at religious persecution in ALGERIA.
Algeria is home to some of the most vicious fanatics in the Islamic world. Thousands of civilians have been killed, many in horrific ways: hacked to death, burned alive, disemboweled, their throats slit. Special forces death squads have disguised themselves as Muslim Fundamentalists and wiped out entire families.
Scores of Ahmadis have been persecuted since June 2016, and some imprisoned for up to six months. Senior government officials have at times claimed that Ahmadis represent a threat to the majority Sunni Muslim faith, and accused them of collusion with foreign powers.
The president of Algeria’s Ahmadiyyas was arrested in 2017. Scores of Ahmadis have been prosecuted since June 2016, and some imprisoned for up to six months. Senior government officials have at times claimed that Ahmadis represent a threat to the majority Sunni Muslim faith, and accused them of collusion with foreign powers.
Islam is not ‘benign’, but discriminatory and sadistically so.
Walter Sieruk says
This information make me glad that I live in America, the land o freedom of speech and not in Islamic Algeria. In the USA a Christian with the First Amendment of the US Constitution a Christians is free to explain Bible doctrine to other people.
With this above statement this is now a fitting time to explain that the way for a person to discover the truth concerning the nature of Jesus is found in the Bible verse Isaiah 8:20. This instructs “To the law of the testimony. If they do not speak according to the word, it is because there is no light in them.” [N.K.J.V.]
In other words, if a religious teacher has teaching that are in contradiction to the Word, the Bible, then that teachers is a false teacher who teaches false doctrines. The Muslim clerics, as the imam and mullahs, teach and speak doctrines about God from the Qu rran .
As the Qu ‘ran in 112 teaches “He is God alone: God is the eternal begetteth not…” Likewise, this religious book which is the entire foundation of and for Islam further teaches in 19:35. “It is not befitting to God that He should beget a son.” In great contrast the Bible teaches in John 1:14. “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory , the glory of the only begotten of the Father ,full of grace and truth.” Likewise John 3:16 teaches “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son… Then just a little further in verse 18 it is written about Jesus Who is “the only begotten Son of God. “ Other places in the Bible further teach that Jesus is the Son of God as in Matthew 16:15:16. Luke 1:35. John 3:36. First John 4:14. 15. 5:14,15.
Moreover to be even more clear the Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, Who is God the Father. As found in Matthew 3:16,17. First John 2:22,23. 4:14,15. Of course , it ,very much, needs to made even more specific . The Bible teaches that Jesus is also God the Son. As seen in Hebrew1:8 and First John 5:20. The imams and mullahs as well as the other apologists for Islam will try to “explain” this all away. As in they will try brush off all those Bible verse off by making the claim that the Bible had been corrupted, through time, by Christians and that’s why the Bible reads as it does. That claim they make actually underestimate the Power of God to protect and keep His Word safe and intact ,through time, and away from the corruption of men.
In conclusion ,with the above instruction of the way to find doctrinal truth in Isaiah 8:20 and in the light of the Bible verse provided it may be clearly seen, by all those who are willing to see, that Islam is in terrible doctrinal error and it is therefore a false religion, Proverbs 14:12. John 14:.6
gravenimage says
Algeria: Christian gets prison, heavy fine for engaging in activities ‘which aim to undermine the faith of a Muslim’
…………..
And yet, Algeria is so often considered “moderate”…
mortimer says
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/algeria/
What has changed in Algeria?
Algeria has dropped seven places from last year’s World Watch List ranking. This is in large part due to a substantial reduction in incidents of violence against Christians. However, this does not mean past persecution is over—for instance, in 2019 there were multiple church closures in Algeria. There were not as many this year, but the churches that were shutdown remain closed. These closures are not included in this year’s report, but nonetheless continue to affect the Christian community in Algeria.
Who is most vulnerable to persecution?
Most Christians live in the Kabyle region in the north of Algeria. The Kabyle people are a Berber ethnic group and speak their own Berber language, in contrast to other Algerians with an Arab background.
The Kabyles were discriminated against and neglected by the Algerian government for many years. This created an environment in which Christianity could develop. However, pressure from both government and society on the Christian community remains strong.
In the Arab part of the country, especially the south, life can be tough for Christians and the number of churches is very low. Violent Islamic militants do not have a wide support base among people, but Islam holds a firm grip over the country due to the growth of the Salafist movement.
99pct says
Islam is weak.