This country update examines religious freedom conditions in Algeria, which have deteriorated to a degree that has led USCIRF to recommend that the U.S State Department include Algeria on its Special Watch List since 2020. Although Algeria’s constitution protects freedom of thought and worship for all citizens, the Algerian government frequently regulates religious practice and restricts religious expression. In recent years, Algerian authorities have prosecuted individuals for blasphemy, proselytizing, and other offenses related to their religious identity or the practice of their beliefs. The government has also restricted religious minorities from establishing houses of worship and forcibly closed dozens of Protestant churches.

View PDF