{"id":63545,"date":"2024-10-18T18:13:42","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T16:13:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/?p=63545"},"modified":"2025-06-13T14:26:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T12:26:20","slug":"algerian-pastor-convicted-of-illegal-worship-shares-his-story-advocates-for-re-opening-churches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/pastor-youssef-dc","title":{"rendered":"Algerian pastor convicted of \u201cillegal worship\u201d shares his story, advocates for re-opening churches"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"63545\" class=\"elementor elementor-63545\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-294e7fba elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"294e7fba\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5cd96205\" data-id=\"5cd96205\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1eea1654 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1eea1654\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Christian convert and pastor Youssef Ourahmane shared the story of his arrest, conviction, and court appeals for \u201cillegal worship\u201d this week in Washington, DC, and called for the re-opening of evangelical churches in Algeria. \u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW45117294 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW45117294 BCX0\">An Algerian appeals court <\/span><\/span><a class=\"Hyperlink SCXW45117294 BCX0\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/pastor-youssef\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW45117294 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW45117294 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">earlier this year<\/span><\/span><\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW45117294 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW45117294 BCX0\"> upheld Pastor Youssef\u2019s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW45117294 BCX0\"> conviction and prison sentence for the so-called crime of \u201cillegal worship\u201d for leading his church<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW45117294 BCX0\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW45117294 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW45117294 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW145229334 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW145229334 BCX0\">ADF International <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW145229334 BCX0\">is <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW145229334 BCX0\">advocating for his <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW145229334 BCX0\">acquittal<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW145229334 BCX0\">, supporting the legal defence of the persecuted across the globe.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW145229334 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52c4f5e elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"52c4f5e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Kelsey-Zorzi-Pastor-Youssef-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-63546\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Kelsey-Zorzi-Pastor-Youssef-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Kelsey-Zorzi-Pastor-Youssef-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Kelsey-Zorzi-Pastor-Youssef-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Kelsey-Zorzi-Pastor-Youssef-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Kelsey-Zorzi-Pastor-Youssef-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2431fc49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2431fc49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">WASHINGTON, DC <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">(18 October 2024)<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pastor Youssef Ourahmane, a Christian convert and pastor in the Protestant Church of Algeria, has been sentenced to heavy fines and a prison sentence for the so-called crime of \u201cillegal worship\u201d for leading his church.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This week, Pastor Youssef was in Washington, D.C. to share his story and advocate for religious freedom and the re-opening of evangelical churches forcefully closed in Algeria. In an event hosted by ADF International in Washington, D.C., Pastor Youssef appealed to the audience, saying <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cWe have had a lot of opposition&#8230; by 2019 most of the Evangelical churches in our country had been shut down. When the churches were closed, a lot of the Christians felt that something was gone in their Christian faith because the building had been part of their identity.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When asked about why he is willing to go to prison for his faith, Pastor Youssef responded &#8220;God<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> knows the number of my hairs on my head, and none fall without His will.\u201d <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">He continued, saying<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> \u201cWe have to accept God\u2019s will, and God\u2019s sovereignty&#8230; I try by my best, by His grace, to be a good testimony to others.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In May 2024, the Court of Appeal in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/pastor-youssef\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">upheld the conviction<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> of \u201cillegal worship\u201d against Pastor Youssef for leading the Emmanuel Church in Algeria.\u202fThis was his second appeal in the case.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pastor Youssef, who was born into a Muslim home but converted as a student to Christianity, was sentenced to 2 years\u2019 imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 Algerian dinars on 2 July 2023 for his involvement as the leader of his church, although authorities could provide no evidence of a crime. In November 2023, his prison sentence was reduced from 2 years to 1 year.\u202fUpholding his conviction in May of this year, the court added an additional 6 months of suspended prison time to his sentence of 1 year imprisonment and fines of 100,000 Algerian dinars.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Also speaking at the event, <a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/our-team\/kelsey-zorzi\">Kelsey Zorzi<\/a>, Director of Advocacy for Global Religious Freedom for ADF International, said <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cDespite their small numbers, Algeria has systematically been working to prevent the Evangelical community from being able to simply worship together&#8230;. Pastor Youssef\u2019s case is one of roughly 50 spurious cases against Christians in the past few years\u2026. His advocacy throughout the years on behalf of the entire evangelical church in Algeria, even in the face of potential imprisonment, is an inspiration.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Zorzi continued, saying <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cWe stand with the persecuted Christians around the world, and especially those who are under such dire threat as the Evangelical community in Algeria. The United States and the international community must take a strong stand against the unlawful church closures and unjustified arrests and imprisonments of pastors.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ADF International is coordinating with other NGOs to support Pastor Youssef and his right to worship freely with international advocacy and to raise his case with government officials from over 40 countries.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-16fff41 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"16fff41\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/20241018_155906000_iOS.mov\" controls=\"\" preload=\"metadata\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54e4442 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"54e4442\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Video: remarks from Kelsey Zorzi<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c20aad5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1c20aad5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Background<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pastor Youssef Ourahmane, who has been leading Christian congregations in Algeria for over 30 years, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/pastor-youssef-appeal\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">appealed<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> his conviction for illegal worshipping in his church on 26th\u202fMarch 2024, the date of his 36th\u202fwedding anniversary.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pastor Youssef is one of the leading figures in the\u202f\u00c8glise Protestante d\u2019Alg\u00e9rie\u202f(EPA), the Evangelical Protestant group whose 43 churches have been forcibly closed by the Authorities since 2019, leaving only one with its churches open today. Over the past five years, security police in Algeria, with orders from the Ministry of Interior, systematically alleged that the denominations\u2019 church buildings were in violation of various \u201chealth and safety\u201d codes. These alleged building code violations, they claimed, justified putting locks over the doors and declaring worship inside the buildings to be illegal. In one case, they physically beat a Pastor in front of his young child because he was peacefully protesting the closure of his church.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pastor Youssef has faced baseless criminal prosecutions for his peaceful Christian activities since 2008. He is only the latest person out of 50 Christians to have been convicted by the Courts over the past few years, under the vague offenses of \u201cshaking the faith\u201d of Muslims, illegal worship, or embezzling of tithing donations. The convictions are thought to be a reaction to the large numbers of local Christian converts in the country. \u201cIn the 1970s\u201d, Pastor Youssef said at the event, <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cthe government gave out licenses to churches which were largely full of expats. Today, the government is concerned that our churches are almost entirely filled with large numbers of Algerian converts\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">On 27\u202fMarch 2024, a different Pastor and four Elders from the church also appealed their three-year prison sentences and fines of 200,000 Algerian dinars.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7cdd68a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7cdd68a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Image-22-1-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-63566\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Image-22-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Image-22-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Image-22-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Image-22-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-94e4856 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"94e4856\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Pictured: Pastor Youssef&#8217;s church in Algeria<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-356d623 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"356d623\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Religious persecution in Algeria<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscirf.gov\/release-statements\/uscirf-welcomes-release-state-departments-2022-international-religious-freedom\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Algeria<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fis home to nearly 43 million people, with 99% of the population identifying as Sunni Muslim. Christians fall into the 1% of religious minorities. Islam is the official state religion, but Algeria\u2019s constitution recognizes the right of all to worship and speak freely. The Algerian government limits religious freedom and expression through the enforcement of laws, including egregious blasphemy and anti-proselytism laws, which intentionally target and violate the religious freedom rights of Christians and other religious minorities.\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Algeria\u2019s penal and information codes criminalize blasphemy, with punishments including imprisonment for up to five years and fines. The Criminal Code also censors publications by prohibiting content that is \u201ccontrary to Islamic morals\u201d. In particular, the government has systematically cracked down on the Evangelical Protestant Church through church closures and raids.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Violations of the rights of religious minorities are in violation of both international and domestic law. Algeria is a signatory to major human rights treaties, committing it to upholding the rights to freedom of religion and expression.\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Governments and the international community have highlighted the ongoing plight of religious minorities in Algeria. The U.S. Department of State has placed Algeria on its \u201cSpecial Watch List\u201d since 2021 for its severe violations of religious freedom, and USCIRF advised in its\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">2024 Annual Report<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fthat the country be once again included on the State Department\u2019s \u201cSpecial Watch List\u201d. In 2021, several U.S. Senators sent a\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/us-senators-call-for-action-on-increased-religious-persecution-in-algeria\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">letter<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fto Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on him to address the increased persecution of religious minorities in Algeria.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In addition to Pastor Youssef, ADF International also advocated for the release of\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/algerian-christian-released\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Hamid Soudad<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u202fa Christian-convert in the Evangelical Church of Algeria, who was finally released from prison following a five-year ordeal.\u202fIn January 2021, Soudad was arrested, convicted, and sentenced in an expedited trial to five years in prison for allegedly insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad in 2018.\u202fHe was finally released from prison in 2023 following advocacy from religious freedom leaders from across the globe, including ADF International. \u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a586d05 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a586d05\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Pastor-Youssef-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-63561\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Pastor-Youssef-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Pastor-Youssef-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Pastor-Youssef-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Pastor-Youssef-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Pastor-Youssef-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ce1dd3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7ce1dd3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Pictured: Pastor Youssef<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24aa4a89 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"24aa4a89\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de66b99 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"de66b99\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Images for free use in print or online in relation to this story only.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44faa44c elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"44faa44c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" 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href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Kelsey-Zorzi.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"44faa44c\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Kelsey-Zorzi\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6NDQ4OTAsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hZGZpbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsLm9yZ1wvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNFwvMDNcL0tlbHNleS1ab3J6aS5qcGciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiI0NGZhYTQ0YyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Kelsey-Zorzi.jpg\" data-width=\"400\" data-height=\"400\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section 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Pastor Youssef\u2019s conviction and prison sentence for the so-called crime of \u201cillegal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":63546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[128,1124,221,1221,27],"class_list":["post-63545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-algeria","tag-global-religious-freedom","tag-kelsey-zorzi","tag-pastor-youssef-ourahmane","tag-religious-freedom"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Algerian pastor convicted of \u201cillegal worship\u201d shares his story, advocates for re-opening churches - ADF International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Christian 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