For the first time, members of the Steering Committee formed a delegation, which visited Algeria.

The Envoys met representatives of the Protestant Church (EPA) including the head of the church, who highlighted their problems, including the closure of 29 places of worship since 2017 (with concerns that there would only be one left open), and his own recent arrest and trial. Other pastors are currently appealing prison sentences. The Algerian Bible Society also report that Bibles have been stuck in customs for over a year; they are currently banned from importing such literature.

An Ahmadi representative reported difficulties in registering as a religious association, how that restricted their ability to worship, and the tracking of their movements by the security services. Many Ahmadis have also had fines imposed on them, totalling over £50,000 across the community since 2017.

The Jewish community representative confirmed good relations with the government but difficulties remained in trying to re-open a synagogue (this is currently not one synagogue open in Algiers despite the Jewish community numbering around 1000 individuals).  

The Catholic Church were particularly concerned by the closure of the NGO Caritas by the authorities – a closure which happened on the very day the IRFBA delegation was meeting with the Catholic Church and which was evidently distressing

Meetings with the Algerian government Ministries of Religious Affairs and the Interior over two mornings were lengthy and friendly.

The Ministry of the Interior spoke about Algeria’s struggles with Islamist terrorism in the nineties, which led to thousands of deaths. They have subsequently made efforts in reconciliation and de-radicalisation, with rules shaping the practice of all religions, including Islam. They noted that mosques and madrassahs have been closed, including one the previous week for non-compliance with regulations. They also highlighted the State’s positive interventions, such as the organisation of a beatification ceremony, inviting representatives of minority groups to national celebrations, and government provided financial support.

 The dialogue with government officials about improving conditions implied an openness to continue engagement and opened up channels of communication, which had previously been patchy.  The delegation felt that the visit had been productive in this regard and look forward to further dialogue – a future visit is planned.