A court in Algeria has upheld a 100,000-dinar (US$868) fine against a pastor who was caught transporting Bibles in his car in March 2015.
Pastor Nouredine Belabed was initially sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay the fine of 50,000 dinars (US$434) in 2015. The sentence was reduced to a three-month prison term on March 8 this year, but the fine was doubled.
According to Morning Star News, Belabed appealed the fine, but the appeal was rejected by a court in the city of Tiaret recently.
Belabed, 37, was caught along with his 26-year-old companion Khalil transporting 56 books, which reportedly included the Bibles, a book on the history of the church, a Bible commentary, the Gospel of Matthew and some pamphlets.
The pastor told officers that he intended to distribute the literature for free to other Christians or other people who are interested in knowing Christ.
In 2017, he was sentenced by a court to two years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 dinars (US$434).
"The two of us had been sentenced for possession and distribution of Christian articles in order to destabilize and undermine the faith of Muslim according to article 02/11 of the Law 03/06," Belabed told Morning Star News.
During his appeal, Belabed explained to the judge that he only intended to distribute the Bibles to members of the Christian community in Tiaret. "I did not give them to others or try to evangelize anyone," he insisted.
The judge found him guilty of "undermining the faith of a Muslim" on May 16. The pastor said that he has decided not to pursue the case any further.
"I am tired. The police keep watching us, my wife and me. They watch all our movements. I do not want to inflict more on my family than that; I decide to choose to pay the fine," he said.
Earlier this month, another Christian man was fined after being caught importing Christian literature and cross-shaped keychains into the country.
Idir Hamdad was found guilty of importing unauthorized items and ordered to pay a fine of 20,000 dinars (US$172). He was initially sentenced to six months in prison but the court rescinded the jail term while upholding the fine.
His attorney, Sadek Nadjib, described the sentence as "ridiculous," noting that the items did not violate Algerian customs law.
The law, enacted in 2006, mandates five years and a fine of 500,000 to 1 million dinars (US$4,343 to US$8,687) for anyone who "incites, constrains, or utilizes means of seduction tending to convert a Muslim to another religion."
Persecution watchdog group Open Doors has ranked Algeria in the 2018 World Watch List as the 42nd worst nation when it comes to persecution of Christians.
