Algeria: Foreign religious freedom reports ‘inaccurate’

Algerian Minister of Religious Affairs Youcef Belmehdi yesterday criticised foreign reports on restrictions on religious freedoms in the country, saying they are based on “inaccurate information”.

This comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on 2 December that Washington had placed Algeria on the “Religious Freedom Infringement Watchlist”.

Belmehdi said Algeria protects places of worship, contributed to the restoration of many historical churches and pays the salaries of religious men from the state budget.

“Algeria did not close any church as it has been rumoured, but rather closed places that are not qualified to be churches where worship is practised, this is in accordance with the law. That also applies to Quranic schools and mosques that are not qualified,” he said.

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In February 2006, Algeria passed the Law on the Practice of Religious Rites which governs the religious life of non-Muslims in the country.

It stipulates that communal prayers may only be held in a building designated for this purpose and which has obtained a prior permit from the “National Committee for Religious Rites.”

Only religious organisations established by law may organise communal prayers.

Under this law, the practice of religious proselytism by non-Muslims is a crime punishable by five years in prison and a maximum fine of one million dinars ($13,000).

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