Algeria

Rising violence and pressure in North Africa

Algeria has seen a rise in every persecution category over the last year, which is why it’s risen five spots on the 2020 World Watch List. The most visible example of persecution in 2019 was the seemingly systemic closure of Protestant churches. In some of these cases, Christians were forcibly expelled by police in the middle of church services. Pressure from family also remains high, particularly for Christians who were previously Muslim. Extremist Islamist groups continue to pressure the government to restrict Christians’ freedom, as well.

Christians must be very careful about how they share their faith. Churches are allowed to exist—but only if they agree to the government’s rules. These rules forbid churches to hold Bible studies, host foreign preachers or even run a Sunday school. Very few churches agree to these rules.

Church leaders report that female Christians from Muslim backgrounds are sometimes placed under house arrest by their families when their faith is discovered. They are not allowed to meet other Christians or to have any contact with them. They are not allowed to watch TV or listen to the radio, as Christian channels are broadcast into Algeria.

Despite all this, the church in Algeria is growing. Most Christians in Algeria come to faith through dreams, visions and Christian broadcasts. Churches send their sermons out of the country to be broadcast back into Algeria over satellite TV.

How Christians are suffering

Algeria’s blasphemy laws make it difficult for Christians to share their faith out of fear their conversation may be considered blasphemous and used against them. In Algeria, it’s forbidden by law to “shake the faith” of a Muslim or to use “means of seduction” to convert a Muslim to another religion. Christians also suffer from harassment and discrimination in their daily life. Family members and neighbors try to force converts to adhere to Islamic norms and follow Islamic rites. The pressure Christians face is particularly high in the rural and religiously more conservative parts of the North African country. These regions acted as a stronghold for Islamist insurgents in the fight against the government in the 1990s.

Examples

During the 2020 World Watch List reporting period, the Algerian government continued its crackdown on Protestant communities. Eleven churches were closed by the government, adding to those already closed in the 2019 reporting period. Some were allowed to re-open after a few months.

In a new wave of increased pressure, at least 90 Christians were harshly treated and detained during a public protest against the closure of the Full Gospel Church in Tizi Ouzou.

There were reports that several Christian families faced harassment from other community members.

Population and number of Christian statistics: Johnson T M and Zurlo G A, eds., World Christian Database (Leiden/Boston: Brill, accessed April 2019).