Algeria detains 12 Christians for unauthorized worship
If convicted under Ordinance 06-03, they face 2 to 5 years in prison and fines of up to $7,500.
Algerian police detained 12 Christians on September 4. They were gathered for a worship service that authorities had not authorized, at a center in L'Ayaida, 36 kilometers east of Oran, according to Protestante Digital.
A center operates there that welcomes and helps women in vulnerable situations and their families. The building also has a chapel where a group of Christians used to meet, until a court order sealed it in the summer of 2021.
Officers arrived with a search warrant and took identity documents, cell phones, and the Christian literature they found. The reason for the operation was participation in what authorities called "an unauthorized non-Muslim religious service" (Sígueme translation).
«The closure of churches leaves congregations without a recognized place to meet.»
Interrogations until dawn
After being taken to the police station, the women were allowed to go home. They had to report the next day to give statements. The men remained detained until dawn, in the middle of intense questioning.
The country's Christian community fears the case will move forward under Ordinance 06-03. That rule, in force since 2006, regulates the practice of religions other than Islam in Algeria.
The law weighing on the case
The ordinance punishes anyone who organizes religious meetings in spaces the government has not recognized. That framework covers any religious group that is not Muslim. Having Christian literature could also serve as a basis for charges of stirring the faith of Muslims, according to Protestante Digital.
If the process ends in a conviction, penalties range from 2 to 5 years in prison. Fines range from 500,000 to one million Algerian dinars, about $3,700 to $7,500.
According to Open Doors and other associations that work with persecuted Christians, the case is part of a broader pattern. The Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) groups 47 official congregations, and authorities have forced almost all of them to close since 2017.
The closure of churches leaves congregations without a recognized place to meet. Meeting outside those spaces is precisely what the ordinance punishes.
More than 50 Christians have faced legal proceedings for their faith in the country, especially church leaders. On Open Doors' 2026 Persecution List, Algeria appears at number 20.
How to stand with the Algerian church
"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them" (Hebrews 13:3, ESV). You can pray today for the 12 detainees and for the congregations in Algeria, and bring the case to your Bible study group with verified facts.
Before forwarding anything about persecution, check that it comes from a media outlet or organization that backs it. Praying and verifying information are concrete ways to be close to a church you do not see. And pray also for those who have authority to decide in this case: God rules over every government.
