Respect for individual freedoms and political rights in Algeria, the damning report by Freedom House

http://www.liberte-algerie.com/
Algeria continues its rankings collected bad NGOs in the field of human rights, individual freedoms and political and economic governance.

The Freedom House report for 2015, which aims to be a true barometer of the degree of respect for freedom and human rights in the world, ranks Algeria as a country is not free (not free). Evokes a regression with regard to political rights and individual freedoms, giving low marks on two chapters - 5:06 - on a scale from 1 to 7 (1 = best, worst = 7).

In the first chapter, which includes the electoral process, political pluralism and functioning of government, Freedom House states that "the re-election of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika ill in April 2014 to a fourth term with an unprecedented score of 82% has unleashed a series of protests and level of coordination between different views of opposition forces. " The NGO also states that "throughout the year, thousands of small demonstrations were held against the deteriorating economic conditions" and that "they were accompanied by a few large protests against the economic and political stagnation."

In its report, also he reported a "large-scale corruption, which continues to undermine public economic sector," citing in particular the energy sector. The case of Sonatrach, the national oil company, in July 2014, according to the same source, "reaffirmed the intention of Bouteflika to assert more control over the most important source of income for the Algerian government." "An international arrest warrant was issued in 2013, but increased later on procedural grounds against the former CEO of Sonatrach Chakib Khelil," said the report by saying that "it can -be escaped arrest and the ' extradition because of his relationship with the president. "

Taking the statements of Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, under which more than 2,000 corruption cases were investigated in 2012 and later, Freedom House notes that these cases "have resulted in few convictions".

Despite the existence of anti-corruption laws, the lack of government transparency, low levels of judicial independence and the bureaucracy increase in corruption, the report said, citing, for example, the East-West motorway which was described "motorway world's most expensive ", with" a significant proportion of contracts that would be distributed through bribes. " In 2014, Algeria has fallen from 100

175 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International.

Freedom of expression: embargo, censorship and self-censorship

In researching the individual liberty, especially intrinsic to freedom of expression and conscience, the Freedom House report notes that "journalists remain aggressive in their coverage of government affairs." However, the fact that most of the papers are based on the central government for the press and advertising agencies owned favors pro-government daily, increasing self-censorship. The NGO also notes that in January 2014, the government passed a new law that officially authorizes the creation of private television channels, but this law also introduces a number of restrictions on content, in particular, the ban on news without cover prior authorization. The report also stresses that "the secrecy surrounding the health of Bouteflika was relaxed to some extent in 2014, but almost total media blackout about the terrorist attack in In Amenas (Tinguentourine, ie) in 2013 continued without interruption. "The NGO pin country on the 2009 law on cybercrime that gives the authorities the right to block websites" contrary to public policy or morality ", as well as on the development of a centralized system for the control of Internet traffic. As for freedom of association and trade union rights, it noted that, despite the lifting of the state of emergency in 2011, the government continued to hinder and discourage public gatherings and demonstrations. The proof is that in mid-April 2014, several hundred members of the movement against the re-election of Bouteflika were arrested.

As for still freedom of worship, the NGO says that the small non-Muslim communities are not persecuted, but they can only meet in places of worship recognized by the state. Proselytizing non-Muslims is illegal and an order in 2006 has tightened restrictions on religious minorities. However, Freedom House notes that in 2014, the citizens and the political parties have had greater freedom than in the past, to discuss electoral issues, including the movement against the re-election of Bouteflika.

A. R.