Christians are being persecuted by authorities in Algeria, with 58 churches having been closed down by the government since 2018, leaving only one open.
In a video at the UK parliament with ADF International, Pastor Youseff shed light on this growing persecution. The pastor, who has previously been sentenced to prison twice since 2008, revealed that there have been almost 60 prison sentences handed to Christians in the country, mostly ranging from two months to five years.
Only a tiny proportion of Algeria’s population of 46 million are Christians, but a Release International partner told en that the main driver of persecution towards the church in the nation is its unprecedented growth over the last 20 years.
The partner revealed that the state’s persecution centres around closing churches, ensuring there is nowhere for believers to legally worship together. As a result, church leaders found to be leading worship are charged for ‘holding unauthorised worship’, and some have been charged for ministry activity online and on social media, with charges normally leading to fines or prison sentences.
The situation leaves Algeria’s church leaders under ‘extreme pressure’, with many having already spent time in prison, and now living in ‘an intimidating and confusing state of legal limbo’, often under surveillance, due to their criminal status.
Christians more generally have also experienced an increase in persecution by the authorities, who often refuse to grant contracts and the registration of births and marriages to Christians.
The partner said: ‘The whole process seems carefully calibrated to apply significant discouragement and pressure on the indigenous church and its leaders and members, without attracting the kind of negative international media attention that would arise from incarcerating large numbers of church leaders, as places like Iran and China do.
‘Algerian believers are left increasingly discouraged, isolated, socially and economically marginalised, confused and unsure who to trust or what their rights are. It is no surprise that many have chosen to try and leave the country, which only adds to the discouragement felt by those who remain.’
