USCIRF’s condemnation comes in the wake of several Algerian court cases that resulted in the unjust imprisonment of Algerian Christians. In combination with strict restrictions surrounding places of worship, these incarcerations reflect the disturbing decline of religious freedom in Algeria in recent years, a trend that has potentially grave implications on the country’s minority Christian communities.

Persecution against Algerian Christians stems largely from legal restrictions on religious expression and freedom to worship. Like many predominantly Muslim countries in North Africa and the Middle East, Algeria has passed blasphemy laws that prevent Christians from worshipping, sharing their faith, or even possessing Christian literature. 

Earlier this year, Algerian Christian Hamid Soudad was sentenced to five years in prison for insulting the Prophet Muhammad, the maximum sentence under Algeria’s blasphemy law. Blasphemy laws pose the highest threat to Christians who converted from Islam, as the Muslim majority disproportionally targets them.

Source: persecution.org