Yemeni Sheikh Expelled from Algeria due to Elections' Invalidity Fatwa

Court of Al Oued (south of Algeria), sentenced, during its open session on Sunday morning, Sheikh Djamil Salwi, 46, who is one of Salafi sheikhs in Yemen, and a teacher at Damadj Institute, where dozens of Algerians study the fundamentals of jurisprudence on the doctrine of the Salafism, to‬ six ‭ ‬months prison and a financial fine of ‭100.000 DZD,‭ ‬and ‭deprivation ‭of ‭entering the Algerian soil for 10 ‭years.

The hearing, like its predecessor in the court, was characterized by an intensive presence of followers and disciples of the Salafi Sheikh, who came from the same city and other wilayas like Tebessa, Biskra and Khenchla (east of Algeria), to follow-up phases of the trial and sentence of their Sheikh, showing joy and satisfaction because their sheikh went out from the penal institution. ‬

Sheikh Djamil Salwi was trialed on charges of incitement to boycott the legislative elections in Algeria, which took place on 10 May, by releasing a fatwa that prohibited the electoral practice, an opinion which created a controversy among citizens, as he said he did not intend to disturb Algeria elections, but the elections in general, after being asked a question in this subject by a citizen who attended his lessons, which he organized in one of the rental housing in a village called Bent Lemkoucher in the Municipality of Omia and Nassa in Al Ouad (south of Algeria), asserting that the approach of the righteous and the Sunnah does not believe in elections, and compensate it with the Shura and the pledge of allegiance ‭in ‭choosing the Muslims’ Caliphate‭, and officials, according to the criterion of Allah piety ‭and followers of the good ‭approach‭. ‬