
Nearly all Protestant churches in Algeria have been forced to close, pushing thousands of Christians into private homes and informal gatherings as authorities tighten control over non-Muslim worship.
The closures, which have been systematic from 2017, are not isolated incidents but part of what a 2026 report by the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) describes as “a restrictive legal and administrative system incompatible with international standards on freedom of religion.”
The report documents what it calls a widening gap between Algeria’s constitutional guarantees and the lived reality of its Christian minority.
Since 2006, at least 58 Protestant churches have been shut down by authorities, including nearly all those affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA). By January 2025, the last remaining evangelical churches had effectively ceased operations.
The result is a quiet but sweeping transformation of Christian life. Prayer meetings now take place in private homes, improvised spaces or outdoors. Some believers gather in what the report describes as “house churches,” while others meet in remote areas, “churches under olive trees.”
“We try to live our fellowship as best we can; the most important thing is to be together,” an EPA representative said in testimony cited by the report.
Algerian law requires non-Muslim worship to be authorized by the state, but Christians say such approvals are rarely granted.
Under a 2006 ordinance, any religious activity must take place in officially approved buildings, while a 2012 law requires religious associations to register with authorities, a process critics say has been effectively blocked.
“In practice, the Algerian authorities have refused all applications for the opening of new places of worship,” the report states.
Without legal recognition, even small gatherings can be treated as violations.
Pastors and worshippers have faced prosecution for holding services without authorization, while police raids on prayer meetings have led to detentions and interrogations.
In one recent case, a group of Christians was detained for hours following a religious gathering, underscoring the risks associated with communal worship.
Beyond restrictions on worship, the report highlights laws that criminalize certain forms of religious expression.
Algerian legislation makes it an offense to “undermine the faith of a Muslim” or attempt to convert Muslims, with penalties including prison sentences and fines. The scope of these provisions is broad.
“Any expression of Christian faith may be regarded as an attempt to ‘undermine the faith of a Muslim’… and may result in prosecution,” the report notes.
Authorities have used these laws to pursue cases involving social media posts, distribution of religious materials and public discussion of Christianity.
Christians often avoid displaying religious symbols or speaking openly about their beliefs, fearing legal consequences or social backlash.
Growing underground Christian community
Despite mounting restrictions, Algeria’s Christian population has grown in recent decades, particularly among evangelical Protestants.
The community now numbers an estimated 156,000 people, or about 0.3 percent of the population, according to figures cited in the report.
Much of this growth has occurred in Kabylia, a region with a distinct cultural identity and a history of religious diversity.
“The social fabric was damaged during the civil war, making the ground fertile for religious change,” historian Karima Dirèche is quoted as saying in the report.
Yet that growth has taken place largely outside official structures, as churches lose legal status and public visibility.
Converts from Islam to Christianity face particular challenges. While conversion is not explicitly outlawed, it is widely perceived as a challenge to Algeria’s religious and social order. The report notes that converts may face pressure from both authorities and their communities. Christians often encounter discrimination within legal and social systems that assume all citizens are Muslim.
Across North Africa, governments generally guarantee freedom of worship while maintaining strong oversight of religious life.
In Tunisia, the constitution protects freedom of belief, but proselytism remains sensitive and converts can face social pressure. In Morocco, the state permits limited Christian activity but restricts efforts to convert Muslims and closely monitors religious groups.
Algeria, however, stands out for the scale of enforcement. The widespread closure of Protestant churches and the consistent use of legal provisions against unregistered worship have created one of the most restrictive environments for Christians in the region.
Algeria has ratified international agreements protecting religious freedom, but the report says these commitments are not fully implemented.
Reactions from international bodies have been “largely symbolic and non-binding,” allowing the situation to persist.
The issue has drawn renewed global attention in recent weeks following a historic papal visit to the country, which highlighted Algeria’s Christian heritage and emphasized interfaith dialogue.
But on the ground, little has changed.
For many Christians in Algeria, religious life now unfolds beyond public view. Without access to recognized places of worship and under the risk of legal consequences, believers have adapted by forming decentralized, often discreet communities.
The report concludes that the pressures facing Christians are not incidental but systemic.
“The oppression of Christians in Algeria cannot be understood as a series of isolated incidents,” it states, “but rather as the result of a restrictive legal and administrative system.”
As international attention grows, the future of religious freedom in Algeria remains uncertain and for many believers, increasingly private.





