Algiers, November 17, 2025 – A national forum dedicated to enhancing religious guidance within Algeria’s penal institutions commenced today at Dar El Imam in Algiers. The event, jointly inaugurated by the Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments, Youssef Belmahdi, and the Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals, Lotfi Boujemâa, aims to explore and develop mechanisms for improved religious instruction and rehabilitation.
The forum, themed ‘Religious Guidance in Penal Institutions and Mechanisms for Development to Achieve the Desired Rehabilitation,’ represents a collaborative effort between the religious affairs and justice sectors. Participants will analyze the current state of religious guidance, instruction, and Quranic education within prisons. The program includes presentations of successful field experiences and models focused on religious orientation, all geared toward the successful rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.
Minister Belmahdi emphasized the positive behavioral changes observed in inmates participating in the existing reform programs. He described the forum as an invaluable opportunity to identify and implement more effective approaches. ‘Inmates involved in this reform mechanism have shown positive behavioral changes, which is our ultimate goal,’ stated Minister Belmahdi. ‘This forum provides a crucial platform to refine these mechanisms for greater success.’
Minister of Justice Boujemâa revealed that 596 religious instructors are currently assigned to penal institutions. This figure includes 299 imams, 206 Quran teachers, and 91 female religious guides. These individuals oversee religious guidance and instruction programs, supporting 596 Quran memorization and recitation sections, benefiting 11,022 inmates. Impressively, 241 inmates have successfully memorized the entire Quran.
The forum brings together key stakeholders from both the religious affairs and justice sectors. Participants include members of the Ministerial Committee for Fatwa, imams, female religious guides, Quran teachers working in prisons, sentencing judges, and directors and staff of penal institutions. This collaborative environment fosters a comprehensive discussion on improving rehabilitation efforts.
