Legal framework

Algeria is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the freedoms of religion or belief, assembly and association. It is party to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), which guarantees the freedoms of conscience and religion in Article 8. It has also adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, which reaffirms the right of an individual to choose their faith and manifest it alone or with others, both in public and in private.

In November 2020 a constitutional amendment drafted by a committee of experts handpicked by the government was approved in a referendum characterised by a historically low turnout. Article 51 of the revised constitution states that freedom of conscience and freedom of opinion are ‘inviolable’, guaranteeing freedom of worship without discrimination, and ensuring state protection of places of worship.

In September 2006 Algeria adopted a law entitled ‘Conditions and Rules for the Exercise of Religious Worship other than Islam,’ also known as Ordinance 06-03 of 2006. The law effectively criminalises aspects of the freedoms of association and of religion or belief, including the right to adopt a religion or belief of one’s choice, and the freedom to manifest one’s religion in community with others. It also has negative implications for religious minorities who seek to propagate their faith peaceably. In May 2007, two presidential decrees established government committees required to enforce this law.

Regulation of places of worship

Ordinance 06-03 of 2006 states that all places of non-Muslim worship must be authorised by the National Commission for Non-Muslim Worship. Although the commission’s mandate includes regulation of churches, it does not function in practice. Applications for permission to use buildings as churches or to build new churches are never considered because the commission does not actually meet. Unable to obtain formal approval for any matters requiring the commission’s authorisation, churches are compelled to operate on an unofficial basis and are vulnerable to closure.

Since 2006 no church affiliated with L’Église Protestante d’Algérie (EPA), the umbrella organisation of Protestant churches in Algeria, has received permission to use premises as places of worship, and an application submitted in 2014 for a new church building remains outstanding.

Further legislation introduced in 2012 mandated the re-registration of associations, provided they meet strict conditions. Despite meeting these requirements and applying in 2013, the EPA continues to be denied official legal status. The authorities have failed even to acknowledge receipt of the application.

Pressure has increased significantly since late 2017, with reports of government inspectors demanding to see permits authorising non-Muslim worship in addition to checking compliance with building and safety regulations. This has resulted in a wave of church closure orders in the Kabylie region in the east, inhabited by the indigenous Berber population, and in southern Algeria. In a recent church closure in April 2025, ten Christians (eight men and two women) were detained for nine hours, interrogated, photographed, fingerprinted, and their mobile phones were confiscated following a police raid on Good Friday.

At present all Protestant churches in the country, with the exception of one in the capital, Algiers, remain closed. Several adherents and church leaders have also been prosecuted on diverse charges.

In May 2023 Pastor Youssef Ourahmane, leader of the EPA, was convicted of ‘illegal worship’ for his involvement in the leadership of the church. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and fined 100,000 Algerian Dinars (approximately GBP 565). In November 2023 the sentence was reduced to one year in prison, suspended for six months, but the fine was unchanged.¹ Pastor Ourahmane has appealed the case to the Supreme Court of Algeria and is waiting for the court to announce a schedule of proceedings. Due to the ongoing case, his ability to enter or leave Algeria has been severely restricted.

The Ahmadiyya community faces similar obstacles, with requests for registration refused and applicants threatened with criminal prosecution. The strict application of registration requirements for places of worship results in the effective criminalisation of performing any religious ceremonies or practices in public or in a building that has not been registered for such purposes.

Anti-proselytism and blasphemy laws

Article 11:1 of Ordinance 06-03 criminalises religious speech or writing that is deemed to incite, coerce or ‘seduce’ a Muslim to convert to another religion (‘shake a Muslim’s faith’). It also punishes any religious activity that is not regulated by the state with sentences of up to five years’ imprisonment and fines of up to one million Algerian dinars (approximately GBP 5,650). Article 11:2 proscribes the printing, storing or distribution of materials intended to convert or to ‘shake a Muslim’s faith.’

Article 144:2 of the Algerian Penal Code criminalises blasphemy, stating that those who offend the Prophet Mohammed or any other Islamic prophets, or disparage the faith using any medium should be ‘sentenced to three to five years’ imprisonment and fined 50,000 DZD to 100,000 DZD, or one of these two penalties. Criminal proceedings are initiated by the public authorities.’ In addition, Article 160:1 of the code states that ‘any damage or desecration of the Holy Book is punishable by five to ten years in prison.’

Several Algerian Christians have been harassed, interrogated or arrested under these provisions in recent years. On 21 January 2021 Hamid Soudad was sentenced to five years in prison, the maximum sentence, for blasphemy. Two other Christians were also charged with blasphemy and sentenced to six months and three years in prison respectively.

On 25 August 2021 Algerian Christian convert Suleiman Bouhafs was arrested by Tunisian secret police and subsequently refouled and handed over to the Algerian authorities. He had fled to Tunisia after spending 20 months in prison in Algeria for converting to Christianity, proselytising, and defaming Islam. In 2022 Mr Bouhafs was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fined for ‘belonging to a terrorist organisation,’ ‘receiving foreign funds for the purpose of political propaganda,’ ‘hate speech and discrimination,’ ‘using technology to spread false information,’ and ‘conspiracy.’ In July 2023 an appeal court upheld both the sentence and the fine.

Mr Bouhafs was released in September 2024. On 27 February 2026 he attempted to leave the country but was detained at the airport by border police who subjected him to lengthy questioning which caused him to miss his flight. He returned to the airport on 6 March 2026 to attempt to leave again, but was informed that he was subject to a travel ban and could not leave the country, despite having received no official document or notification as required under Algerian law.

In December 2021 a court of appeal upheld the sentence of Christian convert Foudhil Bahloul, who had received a six-month prison term and a fine of 100,000 Algerian Dinars (around GBP 555) in July 2021 for receiving an ‘unauthorised donation.’ Mr Bahloul was initially arrested along with three friends in Ain Defla on 17 April 2021. Christian materials were confiscated during a subsequent search of his home which was allegedly conducted without a warrant, and during a 2 June 2021 court hearing he was charged with ‘collecting donations or accepting gifts without a license from the authorised departments’, after accepting assistance from a friend in the form of a 200 Euro bank transfer while he was unemployed. Additional charges proffered during a court hearing on 30 June 2021 based on Ordinance 06-03 of 2006 included distributing Bibles and printing brochures to distribute to Muslims.

Following Mr Bahloul’s conversion in 2017, his father’s family had destroyed his business and ostracised him, while his wife divorced him and was granted sole custody of their two daughters. In a separate ruling, a local judge upheld a one-year prison sentence he had received earlier for failing to meet an alimony payment on the due date, even though it was paid later.

In January 2023 a Methodist church in Larbaâ Nath Iraten was closed, and in October a court in Tizi Ouzou handed down a two-month suspended sentence to the pastor of a Methodist church in Oucaifs.

At the end of 2023 Ahmadiyya Muslim community leaders reported to the United States (US) State Department that 33 Ahmadi Muslims were facing charges ranging from blasphemy to illegal fundraising. In addition, the passports of several members of the religious community had reportedly been seized, and formal registration was impeded by a government precondition that the Ahmadiyya renounce their Muslim status. CSW sources report that the number of Ahmadi Muslims in the country has fallen to around 250 people.

Restriction of freedom of expression

Algeria’s anti-proselytism and blasphemy laws have also been used to silence and criminalise political activists. In 2020 Yacine Mebarki, a self-styled ‘Secular Muslim’, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for ‘offence against the precepts of Islam’, ‘incitement to discrimination’ and unauthorised possession of ‘war material’. Mr Mebarki, a member of the Berber ethnic minority community, was involved in the Hirak protest movement that led to the resignation of former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in 2019. In September 2020 the authorities had searched Mr Mebarki’s home and arrested him after finding an old Qur’an with a torn page that belonged to his grandfather, and two antique bullets from the cultural practice of firing guns during celebrations. Mr Mebarki’s prison sentence was reduced to one year in November 2020.

In 2021 Said Djabelkhir, a Muslim scholar who specialised in Sufism and founded an association for progressive religious scholars and thinkers,² was sentenced to three years in prison and fined for offending the precepts of Islam. The case against him was lodged by several lawyers and academics who objected to ideas he had shared in his books and accused him of offending Islam. He was eventually acquitted by the Algiers Court of Appeal in 2023.

The government also prosecutes activists on the basis of content on social media platforms. Lawyers report experiencing difficulties in representing victims of human rights violations, as the government threatens both the victims and their legal representatives.

In 2022 Mohamed Benhlima, a former military officer who exposed alleged corruption in the Algerian military on social media, was forcibly returned to Algeria from Spain. He is currently serving a life sentence in the Blida military prison.

In March 2025 the administrator of the ‘Ramadan Breakers’ Facebook page was sentenced to two years in prison and fined for promoting atheism. Also in March 2025, social media activist Mouh Al-Washam was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for publishing TikTok videos, some of which were deemed offensive,while others mocked Islam.

Importation of religious materials

The Christian community faces severe difficulties in importing Christian literature and other materials due to unwarranted delays and restrictions. In order to import books and other materials, import licences must be obtained following the approval of a commission comprising representatives of the Ministries of Religious Affairs, Foreign Affairs, the Interior, and Commerce. Church leaders report that applications to this commission are routinely subject to delays, blockages and mismanagement, with only a few licences granted. ‘As of April 2026, authorities held up to 6,000 Bibles in English, French, and Arabic at the Port of Algiers—most of which they intercepted upon arrival in customs in 2021.’³

The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light

Repression also extends to members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL, not to be confused with the Ahmadiyya Muslim community). In an April 2026 report the US Commission of International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) detailed the November 2025 summons and arrest of AROPL follower and convert from Sunni Islam, Marwan Melouk. Prior to his arrest, Mr Melouk had received voluntary financial assistance from fellow AROPL members during a period of personal hardship, which the authorities later characterised as collecting illegal donations without prior authorisation. Mr Melouk was reportedly interrogated about his religious beliefs and ties to other AROPL followers, and subsequently charged with collecting donations without authorisation and money laundering within an organised criminal group under Article 389 bis (2) of the Penal Code and Articles 1 and 8 of the Law on the Collection of Donations. Mr Melouk remained in pre-trial detention as of April 2026.

Recommendations

To the government of Algeria:

Ensure that the Commission for Non-Muslim Worship functions efficiently and without bias, that pending applications from churches are considered urgently, and that responses to future applications are made within the designated 60-day period.
Withdraw all warnings, closure orders and court cases against churches, and permit all EPA-affiliated churches to continue using rented premises as places of worship.
Return to the EPA the historic church buildings to which it has a legal claim, and process and confirm the EPA’s re-registration application without further delay.
Review and reform Articles 11:1 and 11:2 of Ordinance 06-03, and Articles 144:2 and 160:1 of the Algerian Penal Code to ensure that all provisions are in line with international norms and standards.
Acquit, withdraw charges or otherwise end all legal cases against individuals brought under Articles 11:1 and 11:2 of Ordinance 06-03, or Articles 144:2 and 160:1 of the Algerian Penal Code.
Issue a standing invitation to all UN Special Procedures, ensuring they have unhindered access to all areas of the country and that members of civil society, including religious and belief minorities, can meet with them freely and without reprisal.

To the United Nations and Member States:

Urge all relevant UN mechanisms, including the Special Procedures and Treaty Bodies, to include the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in their reporting on Algeria, acknowledging the vulnerabilities and violations faced by minority religious and belief communities.
Utilise the Universal Periodic Review process, Human Rights Council (HRC) sessions and other key international human rights instruments and forums to raise FoRB violations in Algeria and to offer recommendations to advancethe right to FoRB.
Urge the government of Algeria to revise regulations and legislation pertaining to religion or belief which do not align with international standards as set out in Article 18 of the ICCPR, and to do so in consultation with legal experts and religious and belief communities, including minority groups.
Ensure that the situation of FoRB in Algeria is consistently raised in public and in private, including during high-level visits and other bilateral exchanges, as well as during regular sessions of the UN HRC and General Assembly.
Urge the government of Algeria, at every appropriate opportunity, to implement the recommendationshighlighted in the section above ‘To the government of Algeria’.

To the European Union and Member States:

Strengthen dialogue on human rights issues, including within the provisions of the Association Agreement. In any renegotiation of this agreement, insist on human rights commitments and mechanisms that facilitate monitoring and accountability.
Ensure that summits, ministerial meetings and other fixtures in the EU-African Union relationship include initiatives highlighting FoRB concerns across the continent, including in Algeria.
Raise FoRB issues within the EU-Algeria human rights dialogue and seek to conclude ‘agreed actions’ therein that can be followed up on within the coming year, including reforms to the penal code. The EU Delegation should continue to monitor FoRB violations in Algeria.
Urge the government of Algeria, at every appropriate opportunity, to implement the recommendations highlighted above ‘To the government of Algeria’.

To the government of the United Kingdom:

Urge the government of Algeria to repeal or amend Ordinance 06-03 of 2006 and Articles 144:2 and 160:1 of the Penal Code. Emphasise the necessity of reforming blasphemy and anti-proselytism laws in order to uphold both FoRB and freedom of expression.
Call on the government of Algeria to re-register the EPA, to reinstate all EPA-affiliated churches closed since 2018, to expedite registration processes for religious associations, and to ensure fair and transparent processes for the approval of places of worship for non-Muslim religious communities.
Ensure that FoRB and civil liberties are prioritised within UK-Algeria bilateral frameworks, including trade dialogues and strategic partnerships.
Call for transparent judicial proceedings, an end to arbitrary detention, and protections for individuals charged under vague laws for religious expression, online content, or peaceful activism.
Urge the government of Algeria, at every appropriate opportunity, to implement the recommendationshighlighted in the section above ‘To the government of Algeria’.

To the government of the United States:

The State Department should continue to closely monitor the situation of FoRB in Algeria and maintain the country on the Special Watch List, as recommended by USCIRF.
The Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, once nominated and confirmed, and USCIRF should request an invitation to visit Algeria with unhindered access to all parts of the country, and assurances that individuals they meet with will not face reprisals.
Deny US visas to Algerian government officials directly implicated in FoRB violations.
Urge the government of Algeria, at every appropriate opportunity, to implement the recommendationshighlighted in the section above ‘To the government of Algeria’.

Download this briefing as a PDF with arena-specific recommendations: EU | UK | UN | US

¹ YouTube, ‘Algeria Must Guarantee Freedom of Religion & Association for All – UN Full side Event’, 5 July 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0Pky__n42w

² Cercle des Lumières pour la Pensée Libre(Circle of Enlightenment for Free Thought)

³ USCIRF, Algeria Country Update, April 2026 https://www.uscirf.gov/publications/algeria-country-update-0