A church in Algeria’s northwestern town of Aïn Turk (15 kilometers from Oran city) has been closed down by local authorities. The church, affiliated to the Protestant Church of Algeria (known as EPA, its French acronym), was sealed off by police on Nov. 9. Authorities in Oran claimed the church had been used to “illegally print Gospels and publications intended for evangelism.” The police notification also stated that the church didn’t have state approval. But the president of the EPA, Rev Mahmoud Haddad,
denied any wrongdoing, saying the justifications for closing the church were “unfounded.” “Firstly, this community is indeed affiliated to the Protestant Church of Algeria, which has been officially recognized by the government since 1974 and is accredited with both the Ministry of the Interior and the local government,” he said. “Also there is no printing activity of Gospels or Christian publications inside these premises.” READ MORE
