Algeria Police Raid Christian Worship Service, 12 Believers Detained

Oran Sea front, L’Algérie Pays du Soleil et de Beauté, Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication | Jihad Watch

Special police forces in Algeria raided a Christian worship gathering held in a residential building on September 4, detaining all 12 Christians present over allegations of conducting an unauthorized non-Muslim religious service, according to local sources.

The property, located in L’Ayaida, about 36 kilometers east of Oran, has long served as a refuge and restoration center for vulnerable women and their families. Although authorities ordered the closure of its official worship hall in October 2019, members of the Christian community have continued to meet for prayer and church services in a separate living area within the same premises.

Sources said the building had been under surveillance for an extended period before officers executed a search warrant and carried out the raid. The detained Christians were then transported to the Bethioua police station, approximately 40 kilometers from Oran.

During the operation, police reportedly confiscated Christian literature, mobile phones, and the identity cards of everyone present. The women were released and instructed to return for questioning the following morning, while the men remained in custody until late at night, with some released as late as 3 a.m.

Members of Algeria’s Christian community fear the detainees could face prosecution under Ordinance 06-03, the country’s law regulating non-Muslim worship. The legislation imposes strict restrictions on collective religious gatherings held outside the state-approved framework and provides for significant fines and prison sentences for violations.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)