On 24 February 2011, the Algerian government lifted the state of emergency in response to the wave of mass protests that was sweeping across the region and reaching into Algeria itself. The international community and the European Union were prompt to congratulate the Algerian authorities for making this decision and for announcing their determination to undertake democratic reforms.
In its latest report, entitled Lifting the State of Emergency: A Game of Smoke and Mirrors. The Status of Freedom of Association, Assembly and Demonstration in Algeria, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) finds that, despite these announcements, the repeal of the state of emergency did not bring about an opening of the public debate or any tangible improvements in the enjoyment of basic freedoms in the country.
In the report, which marks the first anniversary of the lifting of the state of emergency, the Network provides evidence of harassment of activists by police, unwarranted bans against holding demonstrations and public meetings, and abuses by the bureaucracy in attempts to prevent non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from conducting their activities. The report concludes that the repeal of the state of emergency was merely a game of smoke and mirrors, concealing the fact that policies based on suppressing the enjoyment of public and individual freedoms and violating human rights remained in place.
“One year after the revolts that shook the region, we can see today that the legislative reform process under way is in stark contrast with the government’s discourse of on change”, said Kamel Jendoubi, President of EMHRN. In particular, the new association’s legislation (Law 12-06 of 12 January 2012) severely restricts the freedom of Algerian NGOs with respect to the establishment of associations, their finances and their cooperation with international organisations.
“For many years, added Jendoubi, reports and press releases issued by the Network and its Algerian members have identified abusive practices used by the Algerian authorities to interfere with the activities of NGOs. We take the opportunity of the publication of this report to denounce once again these abusive measures, which are widely practiced by the bureaucracy. But whereas these practices were illegal in the past, the new legislation on associations has made them legal”.