"Mosques closed after prayers for security reasons": Ministry

Abu Abdellah Ghoulam Allah, Algerian religious affairs minister

Algerian religious affairs ministry said the government decided to close mosques after the ritual prayers to reactivate a previous instruction as part of new security measures.

• “The instruction is resulting from the exceptional circumstances surrounding  the presidential elections. It is meant to avoid affecting the smooth running of the process,” said Ada Fellahi, press attaché at the ministry.
• “Mosques are now part of the State’s institutions,” he told Echorouk.
• He added that mosques will be closed 30 minutes after the ritual prayers if there is no other activity in the mosque or if the officiating imam or preacher is absent.
• He said  these circumstances are “exceptional”  due to the ongoing electoral campaign.
• “This measure will affect certain areas where there is no activity at mosques.”
• “Notification and coordination between security authorities and the religious affairs ministry are carried out through the direct involvement of religion departments in Algiers and the rest of the country's provinces,” he said.