In Algiers, police raided a Christian worship service

In Algeria, law enforcement agencies carried out a special operation to detain a group of Christians during a worship service at a private shelter. The incident occurred in the town of El-Ayida, located near the city of Oran, according to the Christian Daily.

Police special forces stormed the building of the organization “House of Refuge,” which provides support to socially vulnerable citizens. Twelve people were detained during the raid. In addition to arresting the worshippers, security forces confiscated cell phones, documents, and religious literature. The men were held at the Betioua police station until late at night, while the women were released after being questioned the following morning.

The authorities justified their actions on the grounds of suspicions of organizing “an unauthorized non-Muslim religious service.” Under current Algerian law, holding collective prayers outside the framework of state institutions can result in imprisonment for a term of two to five years, as well as substantial fines.

It is worth noting that the prayer room at this shelter was officially closed by the authorities back in October 2019; however, believers continued to gather for prayers in other rooms of the building. This case confirms the trend toward the criminalization of Christianity in the country: according to the 2026 report by Open Doors, Algeria ranks 20th on the list of countries where Christians face the most persecution.