ALGERIA: RAMADAN; 6 GUILTY OF LACK OF RESPECT FOR PRECEPTS

Can't get no respect. Even though Algeria is a relativly liberal muslim country, sharia still trumps it's secular laws.

FROM ANSAMED:

ALGERIA: RAMADAN; 6 GUILTY OF LACK OF RESPECT FOR PRECEPTS
(ANSAmed) - ALGIERS, OCTOBER 6 -

Six people have been sentenced to four years in prison and a fine of 100 thousand dinars (about 1,200 euro) by the court in Bistra, 400 km south-west of Algiers, for "not showing respect for Ramadan, one of the principles of Islam." According to the daily El Watan, quoting a specialist in Algerian law, "this type of crime does not exist in Algerian law, in fact it guarantees freedom of conscience and opinion". The only law, introduced by the head of the government Ahmed Ouyahia in 2001, concerns journalistic crimes: "there is a punishment of 3 to 5 years imprisonment and fines between 50 and 100 thousand dinars for whoever offends the Prophet or one of God's messengers , or denigrates the teachings and precepts of Islam with written words or images." The six, found guilty at the first hearing, were arrested while playing cards and eating in the middle of the day in the centre of Diskra. Another 27 people, 2 of them minors, were arrested, again in Biskra, and then released after signing a document apologising. Fasting from dawn to sunset during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with profession of faith, prayer, Zakat (giving of alms) and pilgrimage to Mecca.(ANSAmed).