Tag: Berbers

Jailed Algerian Christian receives partial presidential pardon

July 12, 2017 Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Bejaia, Berbers, Blasphemy, Constantine, Jijel, Kabylie, MAK, Setif, Slimane Bouhafs, Tizi Ouzou

Slimane Bouhafs has been released after 18 months in prison for alleged blasphemy on Facebook. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

A Christian imprisoned for three years for “insulting Islam and the prophet Muhammad” in his social media posts has received a partial presidential pardon. Slimane Bouhafs, who converted to Christianity from Islam in 1997, was arrested almost a year ago (31 July 2016) for posting a message on social media . . . Read More

Fears for imprisoned Algerian Christian as Ramadan begins

May 26, 2017 Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Bejaia, Berbers, Constantine, Jijel, Kabylie, MAK, Ramadan, Setif, Slimane Bouhafs

As Ramadan begins, the daughter of an Algerian Christian serving three years in jail for “insulting Islam and the prophet Muhammad” on Facebook says she’s worried about the abuse her father could suffer after he was transferred to a third different prison. Slimane Bouhafs, who is eight months into his . . . Read More

A year in prison for Algerian Christian for Facebook post

January 12, 2017 Algeria Algeria, Berbers, Blasphemy, Setif, Slimane Bouhafs

An Algerian Christian has been sentenced to a year in prison for a post he made on Facebook. On 8 January, the court in Bouira (100 km east of Algiers) found Samir Chamek, 34, guilty of insulting Islam and its prophet over items he posted on his Facebook page. Samir says . . . Read More

UPDATE: Protests in Algeria for release of sick Christian

November 4, 2016 Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Berbers, Blasphemy, Constantine, Kabylie, MAK, Setif, Slimane Bouhafs

Bouhafs’ family said seeking a presidential pardon is a ‘last resort and the only possible solution to set him free’.World Watch Monitor Protesters in Algeria have called for the release of Slimane Bouhafs, an evangelical Christian jailed for three years in September for “insulting Islam and the prophet Mohammed” in . . . Read More

Cairo bishop urges Church to be ready for martyrdom

October 14, 2016 Egypt Berbers, Cairo, Copts, North Africa, Refugees, Tunisia

Archbishop Mouneer Anis. Michael Adel, Bridges Cultural Center A senior Anglican archbishop from the Global South called for the Church to be “ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of Christ” in the face of persecution, restrictions, terrorism, and violence carried out in the name of religion. Archbishop . . . Read More

Ramadan adds extra pressure for N. African Christians

July 2, 2014 Algeria Algeria, Algiers, Berbers, Hijab, Kabylie, Morocco, Ramadan, Sharia

In the name of all beliefs’ – a flyer for rallies this week in Algeria.World Watch Monitor In about 50 countries across the world, some 1.6 billion Muslims have begun fasting from sunrise to sunset for the 30 days of Ramadan. It occurs every year during the ninth month . . . Read More

Algerian Christians should promote friendship with Muslims, says Pope Envoy

May 9, 2014 Algeria Berbers, Pope Francis

On the occasion of the 100th birthday of the church St. Augustine of Hippo in Algeria, Pope Francis is calling for better relations between Christians and Muslims in a country where Islamic extremism is a primary source of pressure on Christian life. Pope Francis encourages the Christians, a minority in . . . Read More

Kidnapped Swiss Christian freed amid Mali’s unrest

April 27, 2012 Mali Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansar Dine, Bamako, Beatrice Stockly, Berbers, Gao, Kidal, Mali, Timbuktu, Tuareg

Separatist Islamist rebels released a Swiss Christian woman kidnapped by a private militia on April 15 amid political turmoil in Timbuktu, Mali, according to a Swiss foreign ministry statement. Armed members of the militant Islamic group Ansar Dine handed Beatrice Stockly to Swiss diplomats on Tuesday (April 24), Reuters reported. . . . Read More

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