Rabat – The US State Department has placed Algeria among its list of states under “special surveillance” for committing or tolerating serious violations against freedom of religion.
“I am also placing Algeria, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam on the Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a press release.
Other countries included in the list were the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam.
The press release also designated Iran, North Korea, and China as “countries of particular concern.”
The 2020 Freedom of Religion report cited several rights violations in Algeria, including the closure of several churches.
“According to the letter, the government closed 13 churches and ordered seven more to close since 2018 because they lacked the required permit to hold non-Islamic worship services,” the report said.
The National Committee for Non-Muslim Religious Worship had not issued a single permit to churches affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria that year, the report added.
The European Parliament had similarly criticized Algeria for oppression of Christians and religious minorities in 2020. European deputy Maria Soraya called for taking action against Algeria for preventing Christians from practicing their religion.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called out crackdowns on the Evangelical Protestant community in Algeria, as well as the closure of the two largest Protestant churches in the country.
Other human rights violations attributed to Algeria have also been criticized in recent years, including the use of anti-terrorism laws to persecute journalists and protestors.
Thirteen members of the European Parliament recently addressed a letter to the EU condemning the bleak situation facing Algerian activists, especially those defending womens’ rights.
