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Algeria: Woman sentenced to 10 years for allegedly damaging a Quran

Source: 
SIAWI / El Watan
According to Algerian Newspaper El Watan, last September a young women aged 26 was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Biskra, southern Algeria, where she is already detained for previous offence. She is accused of having damaged a Quran.
This sentence was given by the same judge who already condemned 6 people to four years in prison and a fine of 1000 Euros each for eating during Ramadan. Fortunately this sentence was reversed on appeal and they were recently released.

The case of Samia is now going on appeal. She has been heard and the sentence will be given on October 28,2008.

According to her lawyer, she was initially judged without any defense, and without proof of the facts, on the accusation of two co-detainees.

We are extremely worried about the growing number of Algerian citizens who, despite the fact that the right to freedom of thought and belief enshrined in the Constitution, are heavily sentenced on religious grounds, for supposedly offending Islam. Additionally, there has been several cases of Christians sentenced for practicing their religion.

Source: Secularism Is A Women’s Issue

Related info/URLs: 
For background to this case and to find out what you can do to help, please see here: http://www.wluml.org/english/actionsfulltxt.shtml?cmd[156]=i-156-562767 and here: http://siawi.org/article565.html
Submitted on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 23:00
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