Police order three Algerian churches to close

ALGIERS, Algeria — Police issued written orders for three Algerian churches to cease activity the last week of March, bringing the number of congregations told to shut down since November to 19. In addition to the three churches, registered under the Protestant Church of Algeria, two independent congregations were verbally ordered to close their doors. The church closures come amid a flurry of antagonistic media articles warning of campaigns by Protestants to "Christianize" Algeria. Religious Affairs Minister Bu’Abdallah Ghoulamullah called on Christian groups in Algeria to re-register according to Algeria’s associations’ law, but Algerian Christians have claimed that the government has blocked them from carrying it out. On March 21, police detained two Algerian Christians traveling by public bus from Tizi Ouzou to Bejaia for carrying 11 Bibles.