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Police arrested the man for putting the baby's life in dangerFacebook

A man from Algeria has been sentenced to two years in prison after he threatened to throw a baby out of a 15th-floor window if he doesn't get 'likes' on Facebook.

The man reportedly posted pictures of his young cousin as he held him by his t-shirt and dangled the baby out of the window in an apartment block in Algiers.

The offender, whose name has not been revealed, captioned the picture that read: "1,000 likes or I will drop him."

Many Facebook users were disturbed by the picture and called the authorities for him to be arrested for child abuse, according to Al Arabiya reports. He has been charged since then and is in police custody.

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Representational ImageREUTERS/Dado Ruvic

"The picture was taken in a balcony with protective barriers," the man said, according to Ennahar TV. "These were removed."

Reports state that the child's father has also called for the man to be forgiven for the offence, as he was just playing a game. The judge in a court, however, said that the man put the child's life in danger and will be charged for his offence.

The incident resembles that of when the popular pop singer Michael Jackson in 2002 dangled a baby over a hotel balcony in Berlin in front of his fans and photographers.

The pop star later apologised for his actions, and called it a "terrible mistake," according to the Independent.