ALGIERS, Algeria: An appeals court in the Algerian city of Setif has convicted a convert to Christianity for insulting Islam's prophet and sentenced him to three years in prison.

According to Amnesty International, 49-year-old Slimane Bouhafs had been sentenced to a five-year prison term following an Aug. 7 trial for offending the prophet, based on his Facebook posts.

On Tuesday, Bouhafs was convicted on appeal in the court in eastern Algeria.

His lawyer, Salah Dabouze, said his client had denounced political Islam, but not the religion or Prophet Muhammad, in a Facebook discussion with non-Algerian Christians.

The Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights denounced the verdict, saying it was against the constitution.