A Christian father-of-two was given a suspended prison sentence and fined for holding worship at his house in north-west Algeria, reports Morning Star News.
Prosecutors had sought a six-month prison sentence and a fine of 500,000 Algerian dinars ($US4,200) for the 35-year-old father in Mostaganem, a coastal town about 350 kilometres west of Algiers, for holding worship in his home. Instead, the judge gave him a two-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 100,000 dinars ($US840) to the new Christian, who requested anonymity as he fears for his life in the officially Muslim north African country.
The man was accused of organising Christian worship in his home after inviting a Christian couple to pray with him, sources told Morning Star News. He was charged under a 2006 law which forbids non-Muslim worship for unregistered churches. The law stipulates that churches must obtain the permission of a national committee to be registered, but this committee has never met, and no church request has been officially considered or approved, sources said.
“Incredible but true, it was enough that a neighbour denounced him and accused him wrongly, and he is condemned, all because he welcomed a Christian couple to pray together,” the source, who cannot be identified for security reasons, told Morning Star News. “He is frightened and shocked by this accusation.”
Police had summoned the Christian for questioning several times, the source said.
“During these visits to the police station, the poor man had to endure terrible pressure and intimidation, though he was known as a man of peace,” he said.
Meanwhile, another Christian man was fined 50,000 dinars ($US420) for allowing a worship tent on his land after authorities had closed a church building, used by a 300 strong congregation, on 16th October last year.
Amar Ait-Ouali, owner of the land where City of Refuge Church meets in Azaghar village near Akbou, about 185 kilometres east of Algiers, told Morning Star News he was not afraid.
“I have the right to be a Christian, and I also have the right to make my home and my land available to the church. All this is injustice. ”
His attorneys, a group of human rights lawyers, said they would appeal.
The pastor of the church, Jughurtha Sadi, said the congregation is trusting in God for the outcome.
“We have nothing to fear,” the pastor said. “The EPA [Protestant Church of Algeria, an umbrella group] is on our side to support us. Whatever they do, we will continue to praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
