Christians in Syria, Algeria, and Morocco: The ECLJ Urges Brussels to Act

From 7 to 9 September 2026, the ECLJ traveled to Brussels to raise awareness among European Union policymakers regarding the plight of Christian communities in Syria, Algeria, and Morocco. Through a major conference and several exclusive meetings, we advocated for the full and complete recognition of civil rights and guaranteed religious freedom for Christians.

The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) conducted three days of mobilization in Brussels, at the heart of the European institutions, to place the defense of Christian communities on the political and diplomatic agenda.

The keynote event of the stay was a conference co-organized on September 8, 2026 at the European Parliament on the future of Christians in Syria. As the new regime, that emerged from Front al-Nosra, seeks to normalize its status with the West, the ECLJ refuses to see Christians sacrificed once again during this political transition.

To confront the institutions with reality on the ground, we brought together Syrian religious and political leaders. Thibault van den Bossche, our Advocacy Officer for Religious Freedom, moderated the debates alongside diplomatic figures such as Mairead McGuinness (EU Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion) and Nadine Maenza (Co-Chair of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable - IRF).

In front of numerous MEPs, diplomats, and members of both the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS), Bishop Georges Masri (Aleppo) and Bishop Georges Assadourian (Damascus) delivered a clear message: Christians in Syria are not asking for privileges, quotas, or temporary protection. They demand equal citizenship under the law and genuine participation in Syrian institutions.

In parallel with this conference, the ECLJ held several meetings with the EU External Action Service and the Cabinet of the Commissioner for the Mediterranean. We amplified the voices of Christians in two other countries on which we are currently working:

• In Algeria: At a time when the regime is tightening its grip, all places of worship belonging to the Protestant Church of Algeria (which has been official since 1972) are now closed. Christians there face police raids and Bible seizures under the threat of anti-proselytism laws. Even the humanitarian service Caritas remains banned, despite the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV. The ECLJ actively supports Pastor Youssef Ourahmane, Vice-President of the Protestant Church of Algeria, who was sentenced in May 2024 to one year in prison for organizing a gathering in an unauthorized venue. We are also defending a Christian convert who was disinherited after leaving Islam.
• In Morocco: We raised the alarm regarding foreign Christians who were brutally expelled in 2010, including many European citizens, and requested that the EU advocate for a review of their cases. We also denounced the total lack of recognition for Moroccan Christians, whose family status remains subject to Islamic law. Recently, the ECLJ was contacted by a Moroccan Christian couple whose house church was vandalized and who are facing death threats from their own family. We are currently preparing their legal defense to prevent the case from being covered up.