“Laws in Algeria Restrict Mission Work,” International Christian Concern, November 12, 2022:
11/12/2022 Algeria (International Christian Concern) – Officials in Algeria have made it increasingly difficult for Missionaries to evangelize or challenge the Islamic faith in any capacity. With Algeria’s government issued ordinances and restrictions on non-Muslim religious organizations, any attempt to attract more MBB’s is met with animosity and the very real possibility of jail time and hefty fines.
Today Algeria is estimated to be about 99% Sunni Muslim, and has blasphemy, anti-proselytization and laws governing worship that are main components in making mission work here near impossible. The blasphemy laws according to the United States Commission on International Freedom (USCIRF) “criminalizes blasphemy. Any individual who ‘offends the Prophet … and the messengers of God or disparages the dogma or precepts of Islam, whether it be through writing, artwork, speaking, or any other medium’ may be subject to three to-five years in prison and/or a fine of between 50,000 and 100,000 Algerian dinars (roughly 350-710 USD).” What this means is that anything that could be said or seen as going against the Muslim beliefs is criminalized. The anti-proselytization laws include any act that “entices” a Muslim to convert to another religion. Lastly, the laws governing worship keep Christians confined to approve worship spaces while also purposely discriminating against religious minorities to make these places of worship difficult to attend and enjoy regularly. You can find similar stories of how these laws have persecuted Christians here.…
