The mountainous Kabylie region of Algeria. IRRIGATIONDZ, Wikipedia
A coalition of Christians in Algeria’s Kabylie region has issued an urgent appeal to the Trump administration, requesting immediate intervention to address what they describe as systematic persecution of Christian minorities by the Algerian government. The plea comes as virtually all Protestant churches in the Kabylie region have been forcibly closed, leaving thousands of believers without places of worship and facing escalating harassment.
In a letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Christian Kabyle Coalition paints a stark picture of religious repression in a country that officially guarantees freedom of worship. Algeria has systematically dismantled the Protestant church infrastructure that had grown significantly over the past two decades, especially in Kabylie, where the majority of the population belong to the Amazigh ethnic group.
“The Algerian government continues, under the infamous Article 87, to criminalize peaceful religious activities, including Christian worship,” the coalition states in their letter. This legal provision, originally justified as anti-terrorism legislation when introduced in 2021, has become a weapon against religious minorities and political dissidents.
The statistics are sobering: of the 47 churches affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA), more than 30 of which were located in Kabylie, all but one have been closed by authorities. This represents the near-complete elimination of Protestant worship spaces in a region home to an estimated 80,000 Christians.
The legal framework of persecution
The coalition’s appeal highlights how Algeria’s legal system has been weaponized against Christians. Beyond Article 87, the country maintains laws that prohibit anything that would “shake the faith of a Muslim” or serve as a “means of seduction intending to convert a Muslim to another religion.” These vague formulations have enabled authorities to arrest pastors and congregants for gathering in homes to pray.
Converts from Islam to Christianity face particularly severe treatment, with many charged under nebulous accusations such as “undermining state security.” The case of Slimane Bouhafs, a human rights activist and president of the Saint Augustine Association, who was imprisoned for three years before his release in September 2024, exemplifies the personal cost of religious freedom advocacy in Algeria.
Other cases of persecution include Hamid Soudad, a 42-year-old Christian convert sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for a Facebook post deemed offensive to Islamic teachings, and two Kabyle Christians, Abdelghani Mammeri and Mebrouk Bouakaz, who received prison sentences for allegedly showing disrespect to Islamic religious principles.
The Coalition’s demands
Faced with this escalating crisis, the Christian Kabyle Coalition has outlined specific actions they want the Trump administration to take:
Targeted sanctions: The coalition requests the implementation of Global Magnitsky Act sanctions against Algerian officials involved in religious freedom violations. These sanctions would freeze assets and impose travel bans on responsible parties, potentially including high-ranking government officials and security personnel.
Diplomatic designation: They seek Algeria’s classification as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, a designation that would trigger additional diplomatic and economic consequences.
Conditional aid: The coalition wants U.S. assistance and trade agreements with Algeria made contingent on concrete improvements in religious freedom, including the reopening of closed churches and the release of imprisoned Christians.
Congressional engagement: They urge the administration to work with Congress to ensure that religious liberty becomes a central component of U.S.-Algeria relations.
The coalition warns that Algeria’s persecution campaign represents part of a broader pattern of increasing authoritarianism in North Africa and the Middle East. They argue that allowing such repression to continue without consequences will encourage other regimes to target religious minorities with impunity.
The appeal to the Trump administration comes at an opportune moment. The new administration has signaled its intention to prioritize international religious freedom in its foreign policy, and key appointees have expressed strong support for persecuted Christians worldwide.
However, Algeria’s strategic importance in North African geopolitics complicates potential U.S. responses. The country serves as a key partner in counterterrorism efforts and regional stability initiatives, making Washington reluctant to jeopardize bilateral relations over human rights concerns.
