Algerian Christian sentenced to prison after sharing faith with neighbor
May 30, 2011
Siagh Krimo, an Algerian Christian, was sentenced to five years in prison on May 25 after he shared his faith with a neighbor. Krimo was sentenced under the nation’s blasphemy law, which prohibits actions that “insult the prophet [Muhammad] and any of the messengers of God, or denigrate the creed and precepts of Islam, whether by writing, drawing, declaration, or any other means.”
“Algerian Christians have been under attack in recent weeks as laws have been increasingly enforced to discriminate against them,” said Aidan Clay of International Christian Concern. “Earlier this week, seven churches in Béjaia were ordered to close. Now, an Algerian Christian is on the verge of being unjustly imprisoned for accusations of criticizing Islam. While Algeria professes that it upholds religious freedom, it also embraces a blasphemy law that, by its very nature, can be used to prosecute anyone who does not adhere to the religion of Islam.”
Only 4,000 of Algeria’s 34.8 million people are Catholic, according to Vatican statistics; 99% of Algerians are Muslim.
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Posted by: hartwood01 -
May. 30, 2011 10:28 PM ET USA
And of that overwhelming majority of Muslims, there are so many warring factions, a result of the free-for-all private interpretation of Islam. I would think a sincere Muslim would have to wear blinders, because there is total chaos out there for them.
