ORAN, Algeria — A pastor and Christian coworker were convicted in absentia, fined and sentenced to imprisonment by an Algerian court for “undermining the faith of a Muslim.”
Rachid Seighir, pastor of Oratoire Church in Oran and manager of the church’s bookstore, and Nouh Hamimi, a bookstore employee were charged under Algerian law, which criminalizes publication and distribution of materials “which aim to undermine the faith of a Muslim.”
Seighir said the charges are retaliation for the acquittal he received upon appealing his 2008 conviction on the same charges. Oran’s governor closed the store in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, courts ruled the store could reopen, but the governor refused.
Several months ago, another Algerian Christian was fined and sentenced to five years in prison for receiving and reposting on Facebook a cartoon deemed insulting to Muhammad.
Islam is the state religion. Since 2000, thousands of Algerians have put their faith in Jesus Christ.
Algeria is No. 24 on Open Doors’ 2021 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
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