The cited article from the NC Register/CNA reports on a side event at the U.N. Human Rights Council held on March 18, 2026, where advocates described the legal and administrative repression of Christians in Algeria ahead of the expected April 13–15 visit of “Pope” Leo XIV. It highlights the 2020 constitution’s removal of explicit freedom of conscience, the criminalization of conversion from Islam, the closure of 47 Protestant churches and Caritas Algeria, and the geopolitical factors (energy, counterterrorism, arms sales) that shield Algeria from international accountability. The article frames the situation as a human rights issue, expresses hope that the papal visit might draw attention, and calls for Algeria to restore constitutional freedom of conscience and for the U.N. to send a special rapporteur.