ALGERIA: 6 ABSOLVED AFTER APPEAL FOR EATING DURING RAMADAN
(ANSAmed) - ALGIERS, OCTOBER 8 - The six people who were
condemned at first to four years in prison for "not respecting
Ramadan" were absolved yesterday during an appeals process at
the court of Bsikra, 400 km south west of Algiers. This was
reported today by El Watan.
"Setting an appeal only nine days after the first
sentence" said Boudjeema Ghechir, one of the defence lawyers,
"demonstrates an admission of guilt in the justice system".
The arrest of the six accused of having eaten during the day
during the month of fasting of Ramadan created bitter
controversy in the Algerian press that compared the sentence to
that of Habiba K., the young convert to Christianity, accused by
a tribunal in Tiaret of "practicing a non Muslim cult".
"The liberty of cult is clearly sustained by the Koran which
asks the prophets to not obligate anyone and to leave everyone
to their convictions", added Ghechir, "the panic possessed
some heads; the issue of evangelical proselytism and the
safeguarding of Islam does not have to bring on acts that damage
Islam itself". (ANSAmed).
2008-10-08 13:45