by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
ALGIERS/ORAN (Worthy News) – Algerian special police forces have raided a Christian gathering and detained 12 believers, adding to concerns about religious freedom in the predominantly Muslim North African nation, Christians told Worthy News.
The Christians were reportedly meeting September 4 at the House of Refuge in L’Ayaida, about 36 kilometers (22 miles) east of the northwestern city of Oran, when police arrived with a search warrant.
It serves as a haven and restoration center for vulnerable women and their families and previously included a Christian worship hall, which authorities ordered closed in 2019.
Believers have since continued gathering for worship in apartments on the premises, according to persecution watchdog Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC).
During the raid, police seized Christian literature, mobile phones and identity cards before taking the 12 believers into custody, VOMC said in a statement to Worthy News.
CHRISTIANS INTERROGATED
“During detainment, these dedicated followers of Jesus were interrogated, some until late the following night,” VOMC added.
All were eventually released and had not yet appeared before a prosecutor, but they could still face charges under Algeria’s laws governing non-Muslim worship.
Under Ordinance 06-03, adopted in 2006, certain violations involving unauthorized non-Muslim worship can carry prison terms of two to five years and substantial fines. The legislation requires non-Muslim places of worship to receive state authorization.
This month’s raid came as 10 other Algerian Christians received a more favorable outcome in separate cases in which they had faced potentially significant prison sentences, according to VOMC.
Their cases were dismissed, with each instead required to pay a fine of about $730, the organization said.
PRAYERS ANSWERED
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Lord, our God, for answering our prayers and being favorable to the prayers of all His saints,” a Christian church worker said in remarks shared with Worthy News.
The developments come amid years of restrictions on Algeria’s Protestant community. Nearly all 47 churches affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria, known by its French abbreviation EPA, have received closure orders or been sealed by authorities, well-informed Christians say.
Religious-freedom advocates say Algeria’s authorization system has made it extremely difficult for Protestant congregations to operate legally. Converts from Islam can also face pressure from their families and communities.
Algeria ranks 20th on the 2026 World Watch List of the 50 countries where advocacy group Open Doors says Christians face the most severe persecution.
Open Doors cites government pressure on Protestants, legal restrictions and the closure of churches among the main reasons for Algeria’s ranking. Christians comprise only a small minority of the country’s overwhelmingly Muslim population.
POLITICAL PRESSURE
The crackdown is unfolding under President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who secured a second term in 2024 and remains the dominant figure in Algeria’s presidential political system.
Algeria has maintained political stability since the mass Hirak protest movement helped force longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power in 2019, although critics and rights organizations continue to raise concerns about restrictions on fundamental freedoms, including those of devout Christians.
Tebboune’s government also faces regional tensions. Algeria abruptly severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates on September 10, accusing Abu Dhabi of hostile actions amid disagreements involving neighboring Morocco, Western Sahara and developments in the Sahel.
For Algeria’s Christians, the immediate concern is whether the 12 believers detained in L’Ayaida will face prosecution.
VOMC urged Christians to pray that those recently arrested would be cleared of formal charges and that other Algerian believers facing “legal challenges, restrictions or imprisonment because of their faith in Christ” would be strengthened and sustained.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
