Moreover,
Can denying islam worth swiss:
A few months ago. Moreover, I received a message from a stranger who asked me for support to obtain a Swiss humanitarian visa. Additionally, Moreover, I asked him why he was addressed to me. In addition, He replied with a certain candor that it was Chatgpt who had advised him. Moreover, It made me smile: artificial intelligence understood that I was engaged for human rights. Moreover, He was looking for a Swiss to help him obtain a humanitarian visa from our country. Nevertheless, the only one apparently to offer this possibility. However, He had denied his religion, Islam, and lived hell in his country, Algeria.
Freedom of conscience, it touched me. Therefore, I told him that the only thing I could do was explain his story to my compatriots because my country has. Meanwhile, in the past, offered hospitality to minorities pursued because of can denying islam worth swiss their religion. For example, I tried to cheer him up too. However, He felt alone after thinking differently than the entire community. In addition, Thread by needle, we got to know each other and we are today friends.
On the morning of August 18, Atef Khelili has an appointment at the Swiss consulate in Algiers. However, His humanitarian visa request is supported by several associations that campaign for freedom of thought in France. Moreover, Belgium or the United Kingdom. In addition, And by me too; I split a letter to the federal authorities. Nevertheless, The issuance of this visa makes it possible to stay three months on Swiss territory in order to file a request for asylum in good. For example, due form. In addition, An issue in the literal sense: ATEF fears every day for his life. Moreover, in his provincial city, in the east of Algeria.
Since the arrest of can denying islam worth swiss Boualem Sansal in November 2024. Moreover, the question of freedom of expression in Algeria has been embodied by the case of this 75-year-old Franco-Algerian writer, sentenced to five years in prison on July 1, 2025 for “national unity” due to an interview he gave to a magazine. In addition, In June of this year was added the case of Christophe Gleizes. In addition, 36, sports journalist specializing in African football, arrested a year earlier for having maintained himself with a club manager JS Kabylie. Similarly, But these two mediated figures hide many other cases, little of which reach us. For example, And in particular the case of ATEF.
Can denying islam worth swiss
Fatal curiosity? – Can denying islam worth swiss
Our man was born in May 1983 in Tébessa, not far from the Tunisian border. For example, This city is home to very beautiful ancient ruins. It was Greek, Roman and Byzantine before being Islamized in can denying islam worth swiss the 7th century. His father is a retired taxi driver and his mother, a housewife. Atef studied the Fine Arts and discovered more curious than the average. He believes it is because a “Artist is more observant, that he has a deeper look at the world.”
Was this curiosity going to be fatal to him? From 2018, Atef does online research on Islam and the Koran, greedily viewing videos of Islamic science experts. He consults a large quantity of discourse for Islam. emanating from both Muslim apostates who are refugee in Europe as well as exiled or under house arrest in Egypt, like the famous Nasr Hamid Abû Zayd, died in 2010. Their perspectives vary and fueled the young man’s reflections. Meticulously, he compared the points of view and questioned his faith, which he had always held for acquired. Doubts have lifted his certainties, until his belief collapsed.
In 2019, Atef declared can denying islam worth swiss to his family that he abandoned Islam. Her mother. little exposed to the outside world, is in shock: she is convinced that her poor child has lost her minds. But nothing stops the apostate. He wants to exchange with the imams of mosques in the region. None answers him, so that he chooses to share his ideas on social networks. “I am like that, I do not hide anything and I naturally look for the debate”. Atef does not see the evil that there can be to that-after all. do he not see hundreds of other people express freely the same ideas every week on the Internet?
Satanic, according to his lawyer
Also, when the police summons him, he does not believe himself in danger. “By going to the police station, I did not expect that I was stopped. I was thrown into a cell and kept for interrogation for can denying islam worth swiss three days. My first lawyer refused to defend me, I was satanic for him ”he recalls.
Here he is pestified. The legal proceedings follows his course and. when he meets his second lawyer on the eve of his trial, he launched him with contempt: “Do you think you are better than others?” Why do you think you have the right to criticize Islam? ”
The verdict fell in September 2021: Atef was sentenced to five years in prison to “Affected by the Messenger (may the peace. salvation of Allah be on him) and denigration of the precepts of religion known by necessity and the rites of Islam through computer writing”. On appeal, the penalty will be reduced to three years. The court is based on article 144 bis 2 of the Algerian penal code. which punishes “Whoever offends the prophet and the envoys of God or denigrates the dogma or the precepts can denying islam worth swiss of Islam”. A frequently used law. since it was at the origin, in the same year, of the condemnation of Hamid Sudad, a convert to Christianity which published on Facebook a caricature of the Prophet, or that of Said Djebelkhir, journalist and Islamologist having postulated that the origin of certain Muslim practices dates back to pagan cults prior to Islam.
The Miracle of Drawing
The Calvary of ATEF begins in his first hours in prison. when the guards ensure that the other prisoners are informed of the reason for his conviction. “I was locked up for days in a room without light. toilet, and my fellow prisoners beat me and humiliated”he said, the voice loaded with emotion. Alone. without God, Atef turns to art with passion, drawing night and day to remember how beautiful the colors of the world are outside. He penny so much so that a miracle takes can denying islam worth swiss place: guards. prisoners, affected by the beauty of the artist’s drawings, gradually reconsidering their opinion on him. The apostate becomes a human like the others. Even the supervisors. however so hostile to him, facilitate his stay by assigning him to the library – a breath of fresh air – until he benefits from a presidential grace.
Once released, in July 2023, he found a grayish existence. “Because of my positions on Islam, everyone knows me in Tébessa. When I walk in the street, I perceive hatred in the eyes of passers -by. I take care not to stay out of my house for a long time, to avoid violence. ” And Atef to add to the online threats it is the subject. His family. with which he is looking for comfort, is remote: “Even my mother, who loves me, thinks that I made a evil error, an unforgivable crime”laments the artist. can denying islam worth swiss He continues odd jobs. especially as a wedding photographer, shows the very beautiful landscapes of his region and fixes in his goal his archaeological treasures. But he no longer feels welcome in Algeria. “Since I got out of prison, I’m not doing anything, I have the impression that my life is over.”
Extraterrestrial in its own city
On some social networks. Atef is called “ancient (ancient (perhaps because he feels, in his city, like an extraterrestrial. He finds his dogmatic community. regrets that religion is used “To divide people between Muslims and non-Muslims, exactly as Christians did.”
Despite his despair, Atef does not admit defeated. Unprecedented user. he discovered that Switzerland grants visas for humanitarian reasons, and therefore made an appointment to plead its cause with the Swiss consulate of Algiers. He hopes to be able to flee his hell: “This is my last hope. I would like to be able can denying islam worth swiss to live free to be myself. I will never force myself to believe in a god to please others, whatever the consequences! ”
The process requires not only to demonstrate an objective danger for the applicant. but also to prove a close and current link with Switzerland. Iconoclastic artist. fleeing religious persecutions, does Atef Khelili’s journey not remind Swiss that she welcomed thousands of Huguenots, when religion in Europe was also used to divide, and that his only civil war, that of Sonderbund, had a religious background? The Swiss consular authorities in Algeria will have the opportunity to think about these historical and philosophical questions this month.
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