Algeria raids Christian worship service, arresting 12 people

Algerian special force police raided a residential building on September 4, arresting 12 Christians during a worship service. The individuals are suspected of holding an unauthorized, non-Muslim religious service.

The detainees face potential charges under Ordinance 06-03, a law adopted in 2006 that governs non-Muslim worship. The ordinance criminalizes collective worship conducted outside of state-approved frameworks and prohibits actions deemed to ‘shake the faith of a Muslim.’ Violations can result in substantial prison sentences and heavy fines.

Under this law, all houses of worship must be registered with the state, and any renovations require government approval. Worship is restricted to structures exclusively intended and approved for that purpose. While the law designated the National Commission for the Exercise of Religious Worship to manage approvals, the U.S. State Department has noted that the body was yet to be created at the time of the law's adoption, granting the government sweeping control to regulate locations and monitor participation.