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Algeria

Monthly Event Reports

May 2023 | Increased political repression rises international concern

On 11 May, the European Parliament issued a resolution urging the Algerian authorities to release all activists who are being detained without proper legal justification. The resolution puts diplomatic pressure on Algeria and highlights concerns over the arbitrary detention of activists, urging the Algerian government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process. In particular, the resolution called for the release of journalist Ihsane El Kadi who was recently sentenced to five years in prison on charges of state security. Additionally, Karim Tabbou (a prominent opposition figure from the Hirak movement) was arrested again on 24 May, raising further concerns about human rights and freedoms in the country. Tabbou has been detained by Algerian authorities on multiple occasions times since 2019 due to his political activism.

April 2023 | Media crackdown continues as parliament approves new legislation

On 13 April, the Parliament of Algeria approved legislation that restricts foreign funding and ownership of media outlets and further interferes with the work of journalists. The law’s concerning provisions include: prohibiting Algerian media outlets from receiving foreign funding and materials; forcing journalists to reveal their sources when ordered by a court; forbidding Algerians with dual nationality from being shareholders in media companies; and making insults to foreign heads of state and diplomats a fineable offence. According to the Algerian Minister of Communications, the law aims to “enshrine freedom and pluralism of the press”. However, the legislation has been condemned by several watchdog organizations as an escalation of crackdown on media freedom in Algeria. The new law was approved 11 days after prominent journalist and government critic, Ihsane El-Kadi was sentenced to five years in prison, accused of receiving foreign funding after he was arrested in December 2022.

January 2023 | Judiciary dissolves Algeria’s oldest human rights association

The Administrative Court of Algiers dissolved the Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LADDH), an NGO founded in 1985 and close to the Hirak protest movement. Although the ruling was issued on 29 June 2022, it was not disclosed until 20 January 2023. The hearing was held in the absence of LADDH’s members and their lawyers, and the ruling was not directly communicated to LADDH. The legal proceedings responded to a complaint filed by the Interior Ministry accusing LADDH of engaging in ‘provocative activities.’ The ruling also suggests that LADDH submitted false reports to international organizations about freedom of association in Algeria. LADDH has denounced the repression of protests in Algeria, as well as the banning of civil society and human rights organizations in recent years. LADDH is the latest organization targeted by the authorities’ campaign against independent civil society.

December 2022 | New dissident voice targeted by Algerian regime as crackdown continues

On 24 December, Algerian authorities arrested Ihsane El-Kadi, a prominent journalist and director of Radio M and the Maghreb Emergent website, seen as Algeria’s last outlets for independent news. El-Kadi is known to be an outspoken critic of the military regime and one of Algeria’s most influential voices. This is the latest measure in the sustained crackdown on opposition by Algerian authorities since the Hirak protest movement in 2019-21, and the “culmination of a long persecution and endless judicial harassment" according to Reporters Without Borders.

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GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
44 616 330
System of government
Semi-Presidential system
Head of government
Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane (since 2021)
Head of government party
Independent
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
8.1%
Women in upper chamber
4.3%
Last legislative election
2021
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
9.7
Head of state
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (two-round majority)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
08/05/2017
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
76.60%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
State Party
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
Signatory
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
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Equal Remuneration Convention
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Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
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Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
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Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights
State Party
Arab Charter on Human Rights
State Party
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Categories of Democratic Performance

Representation neutral Representation
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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Representation
Representation
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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