Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday condemned the five-year prison sentence of Remi Rowhani, Baha’i dignitary, following months of trial by Qatari authorities.

Rowhani was charged by Qatari authorities for promoting an ideology that casts doubt on the foundations of Islam, with the charges reportedly stemming from several social media posts of the Qatari Baha’i community.

According to HRW, the court cited article 259 of the Penal Code – which states that whoever casts doubt on the tenets of Islam, or “calls upon, or favors or promoted another religion” faces a maximum of five years in prison.

Additionally, HRW noted that the court denied Rowhani’s defense access to court documents stating charges and evidence, while also preventing them from participating in the initial hearing in

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