The closures of the 1,200-member Full Gospel Church and another church in Tizi Ouzou’s Nouvelle Ville district came shortly after an American pastor and ex-chairman of the Protestant Church of Algeria, Hugh Johnson, was told to leave the country for allegedly bringing in a copy of the Bible’s New Testament without permission.
Pastor Johnson has said he will appeal that decision.
Elsewhere in recent months some eight churches were already closed, while a priest and at least five other Christians were sentenced for up to one year imprisonment on charges related to spreading Christianity, several church and media sources said.
CLOSURES DEFENDED
In published remarks, Religious Affairs Minister Bu ‘Abdallah Ghoulamullah defended the policy and church closures in Tizi Ouzou, saying they "might give foreign powers a pretext to intervene with Algeria’s domestic affairs."
Earlier, Ghulamallah reportedly called Anglican Christians in Algeria "outlaws" and accused them of trying to establish a non-Muslim minority in the country, to pave the way for "foreign intervention" under the pretext of religious persecution.
There have been conflicting reports about the number of Christians in Algeria, which is almost totally Muslim. Around 11,000 Christians, including expatriates, live in the country of 33 million, accoring to Catholic estimates. But other sources have reportedly said the number is much higher, attributing the increase to missionary activities.
