Larbaa Nath Irathen, Algeria — Four Christian men in Algeria will appeal a court decision to hand them suspended prison sentences for worshiping without a permit, saying the verdict could have repercussions for all the country’s churches.
The correctional court of Larbaa Nath Irathen, about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from the capital of Tizi Ouzou province, gave two-month suspended prison sentences to four Christian leaders of a small Protestant church Dec. 12.
Mahmoud Yahou, the pastor of the church and one of the four, also was charged with hosting a foreigner without official permission. The court gave him a three-month suspended sentence and a fine of $130, reported French TV station France 24 on its website.
The prosecutor had asked for one-year prison sentences for each defendant. Although the suspended sentences mean the four Christians will not serve prison time, Yahou told Compass Direct News that he and the three other men plan to appeal the verdict because the outcome of their case could affect all Protestant churches of the country, none of which have official permission to operate.
“If they close us, they can close all the gatherings and churches that exist in Algeria,” Yahou said. “They could all be closed.”
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