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Moroccan Christian Jailed for 'Shaking the Faith of a Muslim'
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
RABAT, MOROCCO (Worthy News)-- A Moroccan Christian has been fined and jailed for "shaking the faith of a Muslim."
Spreading Christianity is prohibited under Article 220 of the Moroccan Penal Code; the maximum sentence for this offense is three to six months' imprisonment, but in a September hearing, Mohamed el Baldi was convicted and sentenced to two and a half years!
Baldi was arrested after his house was raided on August 28 and all his religious belongings were confiscated, according to World Watch Monitor.
Baldi, who converted to Christianity almost seven years ago, confessed that he attended Christian meetings in the towns of Meknes and Rabat.
During his hearing, Baldi's mother was said to have asked Allah to exact revenge on whoever tampered with her son's mind.
Having a population more than 99 percent Muslim, Morocco is ranked 39th on the Open Doors International World Watch List of countries where practicing Christianity is the most difficult.
Muslims seem to be a bit primitive, silly, hypocritical, uneducated, exceptionally ill-mannered, and extraordinarily creepy. But other than that, wonderful people not to know.
Correction:
Today Morning Star News reported that Article 220 -- inducing a Muslim to convert -- may in fact be punished by up to three years and not three to six months -- as reported by other news outlets -- and fined up to 500 dirhams (US$60).
"El Baladi’s fine of 1,500 dirhams exceeded the maximum; the fine has been misreported as 5,000 dirhams, probably because police also took 5,000 dirhams from his home during the raid ...
"While apostasy is not illegal in Morocco, the prosecutor and law enforcement officials reviled El Baladi for leaving Islam to become a Christian ..."
Morning Star also reported that Mohamed El Baladi was convicted and sentenced just a week after his arrest and before he was allowed to obtain legal counsel.