Interrupting a worship service, police on 6 August sealed a church building in north-central Algeria, less than three months after locking shut another site in the same area.
‘I am deeply saddened by so much injustice – it breaks my heart,’ Pastor Messaoud Takilt said. ‘This is not surprising since other Christian places of worship have been closed and sealed.’
Three-day ultimatum
Gendarmes gave Pastor Takilt a three-day ultimatum to remove all contents from the building and a summons to report to the brigade. Days later, the gendarmes returned. They summoned him outside, where he told them the congregation did not want to leave the building. The gendarmes showed him their orders and urged him to cooperate.
