Country of Origin Information Report Algeria September 2008
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT ALGERIA 30 SEPTEMBER 2008 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE 30 SEPTEMBER 2008 ALGERIA Contents Please note information which has been updated since the last edition of this document is indicated by the use of grey highlighting. A version of the report without highlighting is available from the RDS website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/country_reports.html Preface Latest News EVENTS IN ALGERIA, FROM 1 SEPTEMBER 2008 TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2008 REPORTS ON ALGERIA PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED SINCE 1 SEPTEMBER 2008 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY........................................................................................ 1.01 Map ................................................................................................ 1.06 2. ECONOMY............................................................................................ 2.01 3. HISTORY.............................................................................................. 3.01 Pre-1992 ........................................................................................ 3.01 Military takeover ........................................................................... 3.06 Post-1992 ...................................................................................... 3.08 Years 2004 – 2007 (from April 2004 presidential elections) ..... 3.14 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS...................................................................... 4.01 5. CONSTITUTION..................................................................................... 5.01 State of emergency ...................................................................... 5.04 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM .............................................................................. 6.01 The President................................................................................ 6.02 The Parliament.............................................................................. 6.09 National Government ................................................................... 6.11 Local Government........................................................................ 6.13 Political Parties............................................................................. 6.14 Opposition Parties ....................................................................... 6.17 Illegal Parties ................................................................................ 6.18 Elections ....................................................................................... 6.20 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 7.01 8. SECURITY FORCES............................................................................... 8.01 Internal security............................................................................ 8.01 Police forces ................................................................................. 8.05 Abuses by Police ....................................................................... 8.12 Local militias .............................................................................. 8.13 Arbitrary arrest and detention .................................................... 8.15 Torture ....................................................................................... 8.17 Torture methods ........................................................................ 8.26 Torture and other ill treatment in El Harrach Prison .................. 8.30 Torture in the context of demonstrations ................................... 8.31 This Country of Origin Information Report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 30 September 2008. iii Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. ALGERIA 30 SEPTEMBER 2008 Government response ............................................................... 8.32 9. NON-GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES/INSURGENTS ............................... 9.01 Front Islamique du Salut (FIS)..................................................... 9.01 The Armed Islamic Group (GIA) (Groupe Islamique Armé)...... 9.02 The Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC) / Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) ............................... 9.03 Violence/abuse by non-government forces/insurgents.............. 9.06 Numbers of insurgents............................................................... 9.21 10. THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION PROCESS ......................................... 10.01 Civil Concord Law (aka Civil Harmony Law).............................. 10.01 Referendum of 29 September 2005 ............................................ 10.05 Events before the referendum ................................................... 10.07 Charter for peace and national reconciliation ............................ 10.07 The referendum and its conduct ................................................ 10.09 Results....................................................................................... 10.10 Reaction to the referendum ....................................................... 10.11 NGO concerns ........................................................................... 10.13 Events after the referendum ...................................................... 10.14 11. MILITARY SERVICE ............................................................................. 11.01 Conscription ................................................................................. 11.03 Deserters....................................................................................... 11.06 12. JUDICIARY ......................................................................................... 12.01 Structure ....................................................................................... 12.01 Shar’ia ........................................................................................... 12.04 13. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .......................................... 13.01 Standard detention provisions.................................................... 13.01 Standard pre-trial dentention ...................................................... 13.02 Double jeopardy ........................................................................... 13.03 In absentia convictions................................................................ 13.04 14. PRISON CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 14.01 Political prisoners ........................................................................ 14.03 Independent monitoring of prisons............................................ 14.05 15. DEATH PENALTY ................................................................................ 15.01 Death penalty for terrorism ......................................................... 15.07 16. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ...................................................................... 16.01 Freedom of political expression ................................................. 16.01 Freedom of association and assembly ...................................... 16.04 Trades Unions ........................................................................... 16.10 Strikes........................................................................................ 16.12 Opposition groups and political activists.................................. 16.20 Front Islamique du Salut (Islamic Salvation Front) (FIS) ........... 16.20 17. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA....................................................... 17.01 Newspapers............................................................................... 17.03 Radio and television .................................................................. 17.07 Internet....................................................................................... 17.09 Restrictions in practice............................................................... 17.10 Treatment of journalists .............................................................. 17.16 18. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS .......... 18.01 Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs)................................. 18.01 International NGOs....................................................................... 18.04 19. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ...................................................................... 19.01 Islam .............................................................................................. 19.03 Other religions.............................................................................. 19.06 Proselytising and conversions ................................................... 19.08 iv This Country of Origin Information Report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 30 September 2008. Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 30 SEPTEMBER 2008 ALGERIA Habiba Kouider............................................................................. 19.24 20. ETHNIC GROUPS ................................................................................ 20.01 Berbers.......................................................................................... 20.01 Berber language and culture ..................................................... 20.03 Berber groups – the MCB (Mouvement Culturel Berbère)......... 20.05 Treatment of Berbers................................................................