Twelve Christians were arrested after special force police raided a worship service at a humanitarian shelter in Algeria, according to sources who said the group was detained on suspicion of holding an unauthorised non-Muslim religious gathering.
The raid took place on 4 September at the House of Refuge shelter in L’Ayaida, about 36 kilometres east of Oran. The centre provides accommodation and support for vulnerable women and their families.
A worship hall at the shelter was closed by authorities in October 2019. Despite the closure, Christians continued to gather for worship in a separate apartment on the premises. Sources said the site had been under surveillance for some time before the latest operation.
Police arrived with a search warrant and arrested all 12 Christians attending the service. They were taken to the Bethioua police station, around 40 kilometres from Oran.
Officers reportedly confiscated Christian literature, mobile phones and identity cards belonging to those detained. The women were released and instructed to return for questioning the following morning, while the men were held until late at night, with some reportedly remaining in custody until about 3am.
Christians fear those arrested could face charges under Ordinance 06-03, a 2006 law regulating non-Muslim worship in Algeria. The legislation criminalises collective worship outside the state-approved framework and activities considered capable of “shaking the faith of a Muslim”.
Those convicted under the law can face between two and five years in prison and fines ranging from 500,000 to 1 million Algerian dinars, equivalent to about US$3,745 to US$7,490. The law also requires places used for non-Muslim worship to receive official approval, while Christians say applications for such licences have remained unresolved.
At the time of reporting, the 12 detainees had not yet appeared before a prosecutor, who would determine the next stage of the legal process.
The arrests come amid wider concerns about restrictions on Christian worship in Algeria. Open Doors has reported that almost all of the 47 churches affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) have either received administrative closure orders or been sealed by authorities. The organisation also says more than 50 Christians have faced prosecution because of their faith in recent years.
The Oran region has previously seen several cases involving Christian leaders. In 2021, Pastor Rachid Seighir and Nouh Hamimi were convicted and their bookstore was closed. Hamid Soudad was also sentenced to five years in prison over a Facebook caricature that authorities regarded as insulting Islam. He was imprisoned from January 2021 until 23 July before being pardoned in 2023.
EPA Vice-President Youcef Ourahmane was sentenced on appeal in May 2024 to one year in prison after organising a spiritual retreat. His original sentence had been two years in prison and a fine. Ourahmane is also the founder of the Timothee School and the L’Ayeida refuge centre.
Christians have also reported recent efforts by authorities in Béjaïa, Tizi Ouzou and Bouira to address what officials have described as the “church issue”. According to Christians in those regions, special envoys have been meeting leaders who are not affiliated with the EPA and encouraging congregants to join a proposed Christian association that would replace the EPA.
Christians describe the initiative as an attempt to reorganise Christian communities under tighter state supervision, potentially allowing some places of worship to reopen subject to conditions imposed by the authorities.
Open Doors estimates that Algeria has about 150,000 Christians, representing around 0.3 per cent of the country's population of approximately 48 million. The community includes around 8,000 Catholics, while many Methodists, Anglicans and Mennonites are foreign nationals, including diplomats.
Algeria was placed 20th on Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List, which identifies the countries where Christians face the greatest difficulties because of their faith.
Based on reporting by Morning Star News.
