Former Prime Minister states that the measure could "set a precedent" and asks for "the right figures, the right data and the proper information".

The strict requirements to regularise the situation of the places of worship in some Catalonian municipalities were discussed last summer at the UN Human Rights Council.

A request to reopen places of worship was recently rejected without a justification. The Algerian Protestant Church (EPA) invites Christians worldwide “to join us to pray for Algeria”.

“They did not give us any option or alternative to negotiate. Rather, it was a resounding, arbitrary closure, and without any solution”, the pastors point out.

The government control raised during coronavirus “in order to limit, if not extinguish, Christian practice”, Christian assosiations denounce.

Around 88 entities might close because of the economic impact of the pandemic. The Bible Society in England has launched a £5m plan, to save those most at-risk.

Italy, Spain and Greece have received increasing numbers of migrants and refugees. But 6 in 10 trafficking victims in Europe are EU citizens.

“These closures are a clear hindrance to the free practice and exercise of religion”, the politicians say in a letter to the Algerian President.

Eight European countries have already declared the state of emergency, banned or strongly restricted the entrance of foreigners, and asked citizens to stay at home.

Ethnic Wa rebels closed the churches in September 2018, destroyed at least 10 church buildings and detained more than 200 Christians who were later released.

The EU adopted a resolution which calls “for an end to violations against the freedom of Christians and other religious minorities to worship”

This year International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is on November 10th. One out of every nine professing Christians face persecution, isolation and violence worldwide.

Around 200 evangelicals participated in a peaceful demonstration to denounce the closure of the Punto Luce church in Milan and demand “freedom of worship for all”.

Police use force to eject Christians resisting in protest. The closures this week bring to 15 the number of worship buildings sealed since the government launched a campaign againt churches.

Algerian authorities have engaged in a systematic campaign to close Christian places of worship and other Christian institutions since November 2017.

Citing a law that requires authorization for non-Muslim places of worship, authorities in North-central Algeria ordered the closure of the church and its Bible school.

LifeWay Christian Resources will close its 170 stores: “We will focus on digital channels”. It is the third big Christian retail chain that closes in less than 6 years.

Only 11 of the 31 church buildings will remain. “We are facing a crisis in the church […] the Kirk needs mission and outreach”, Reverend Ian Murray says.