Freedom of association undermined, prohibition of peaceful assembly, the press muzzled, barriers to trade union freedoms, judicial intimidation against defenders of a right minority and religious harassment against those who expose corruption. In Algeria, the year 2009 was particularly difficult for defenders of human rights, according to an annual report, published Monday, September 13 by the Observatory for the protection of human rights. The Observatory report highlights the political context behind a cascading affect the defenders of human rights. "On 9 April, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in power since 1999, was reelected for a third consecutive principal after November 12, 2008 adoption of a constitutional reform abolishing the limitation of mandates. This election took place in a climate of surveillance, making it almost impossible challenge, even the opening of the poll, "reads the report published on its website. The tone is already given as "the Algerian authorities banned on the eve of the presidential election the release of three French publication, L'Express, Marianne and the Journal de Dimanche who criticized the elections, "the source added. On election day, according to the authors of the paper, "Two Moroccan journalists working for the Moroccan weekly Al Assahrae Oubouiya, MM. Hicham El Mahfoud and Medraoui Ait Salah, were arrested by Algerian authorities when they came to cover the presidential elections in Algeria. "Released, they were again detained and their passports confiscated. It took the intervention of the Moroccan Embassy so they had to leave Algeria, notes the report.
Press gagged
The Observatory report dwelt on the situation of the Algerian press. "Although private newspapers have more space free than ENTV, television and unique state, the repressive press laws, the dependence of the newspapers vis-à-vis advertising revenues and public sector other factors limit their freedom to criticize the Government, army and political and economic elite, "the document detailing the Observatory. In this context, So exit the debate on the black decade, the Algerian authorities and refusing "to work on memory and justice events in this conflict." Another sign of hardening, noted by the report adopted by the NPC in June 2009 of a "law on special rules for the prevention and fight against crimes related to information technology and communication." For the observatory, the law which lays down general provisions "cause concern" and presage of surveillance and repression of defenders of human rights.
Freedom Association undermined
In 2009, Algerian authorities have continued to prevent organizations from defenses of human rights to obtain legal recognition, are concerned the report. This is the case of family associations of missing, like vanished SOS (s) and the Association of Missing Children Michaal Jijel, who did not always succeed in obtaining a legal existence "and that having not received the receipt of local authorities, "says the document of 567 pages of the Observatory, which is devoted to a hundred sub-Saharan Africa.
Prohibition of peaceful ...
The organization of meetings on issues of human rights is often subject to interference from the Algerian authorities, the Observatory notes that these prohibitions to violate "the Article 19 of the constitution which guarantees freedom of peaceful assembly. "As such, the report cites the ban July 16, 2009, the government of holding a symposium on" the memory of the victims to rebuild a society, organized in Algiers by Union Home a coalition of victims of "state and terrorism" and the Federation Euro-cons miditéranenne forced disappearances (FEMED). Further, it also evokes the ban through "an arbitrary decision dated May 25, 2009" a training seminar for journalists organized by the Algerian League of defending human rights, before held in Zeralda, west of Algiers. The same organization had, according to the conclusions of that document, "received a written notification, prohibiting him from holding a" national meeting on the abolition of the death penalty, "scheduled Oct. 10. The meeting finally took place, but the headquarters of the LADDH, in a very small space.
Judicial harassment against journalists
Freedom of Association has continued not to be insured in 2009, people who are trying to establish a union is under heavy pressure, yet note the Observatory. The report describes in detail the woes of the trade unionist Algerian Yacine Zaid, crusading against a multinational, a subsidiary of Compass Group. Degree in 2007, this union has suffered unprecedented judicial harassment "for having established a union branch to defend the interests of employees within the company. "By itself, it drags 7 complaints. In addition, several peaceful rallies organized by independent unions have been dispersed "sometimes so sudden and protesters have been prosecuted," says the Centre in his paper.
Acts of intimidation against defenders of the rights of a minority religious
The report also refers to harassment suffered by Kamel Eddine Fekhar, activist LADDH. The latter, in attempting to defend the interests of his community, Mozabites, suffered a judicial harassment. He was arrested June 15, 2009, by officers of Security Ghardaia and wrongly accused of "destruction of public property and arson on a police van, following the incidents that rocked the city of Berriane. Released 24 hours later he was placed under judicial supervision. According to the observatory, his arrest was due to "its activities since it is one of the initiators of the appeal to the formalization of ritual Ibadite in Algeria."
harassment against defenders who denounce corruption.
During the same year, several defendants were prosecuted by the authorities for exposing corrupt practices, according to the findings of the Observatory, created by the International Federation of Leagues of Human Rights. Thus Hafnaoui Ghoul, head of LADDH Djelfa and journalist in the Arabic daily Al Wasat, was attacked at his home the night of 6 to 7 January 2009. For the Centre, this "aggression is linked to his activities exposing corruption in its region." By filing a complaint against persons unknown, no investigation has been opened, the report says, noting however that the activist has been sentenced to two months suspended prison sentence and a heavy October 27 fine by the court in cases of Djelfa the opponent to "local government bodies." The Observatory also cites the conviction of Hassan Bouras LADDH activist and journalist for defamation to three months in prison and a fine of approximately EUR 5 000 for disclosing in an article published on Press the corruption of some members. Other journalists, including local correspondents have had similar misfortunes and for criticizing the local slopes.
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