Rabat – The US Department of State has listed Algeria among a group of countries “engaging and tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.”
A press statement from the State Department quoted Secretary Antony Blinken, listing Algeria among several other nations as part of “Special Watch List” countries.
“I have designated Algeria, Azerbaijan, The Central African Republic, Comors, and Vietnam as Special Watch List countries for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom,” Blinken said on January 4.
He called for all countries listed to end abuses such as attacks on members of religious minority communities and their places of worship, communal violence, and lengthy imprisonment for peaceful expression.
“The challenges to religious freedom across the globe are structural, systemic, and deeply entrenched,” Blinken said.
This is not the initial instance of Algeria being included among countries that commit or tolerate violations of religious freedom.
In December 2022, the US State Department also placed Algeria on its list of states under the “Special Watch” list for committing or tolerating serious violations against freedom of religion.
The 2020 Freedom of Religion report cited several rights violations in Algeria, including the closure of several churches.
This includes the closure of churches among other orders.
In January last year, NGO Open Doors released a report on the treatment of Christians in Algeria. The report by the NGO that focuses on the treatment of Christians abroad discussed the increasing concerns about how the Algerian regime treats Christian residents.
Open Doors said that Christians are “limited” in how they can exercise their faith. According to the report, harassment and discrimination are some of the challenges that Christians face in Algeria.
The report also established that finding employment or keeping a professional position can be challenging for a Christian in Algeria.
