Algerian Associations favourable to the interior ministry’s new measures

Several Human Rights Associations consider the questionnaire used by the interior ministry to issue the biometric passports for citizens as a “security inquiry” that comprises many positive aspects in the sense that the individual will forward by himself his personal records instead of being collected by the local administrations from secondary sources, but the Algerian League for Human Rights Protection has denounced the procedure and considers it a breach of privacy.

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• The chairman of the Algerian League of Human Rights, Boudjemaa Ghachir has indicated that the lengthy questionnaire to which the new applicants should reply, is indeed an investigation designed to make a national identity for each individual, following the example of several countries worldwide and doesn’t regard it as a breach of privacy or violates human rights provided that the collected data are kept top secret.
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• He added, in this respect, that it’s better for the individuals to forward his personal information rather than collected by others, adding that most of the investigations carried out by the security authorities contain several mistakes.
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• For his part, the chairman of the Algerian Consultative Council for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Farouk Kessentini considers that the new measures brought by the biometric system concerning the professional, educational and private profile of the individual is not a violation against the human rights, as a rule, he said” we do not shelter anyone, and we have nothing to hide from the state”.
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• M Kssentini expressed his amazement concerning those who feel uneasy to answer the questions saying” Why feeling uneasy as long as it’s the sate which asks and the citizen who replies; it is suppose that the relation between the state and the citizens is based on a blind trust”. He went on saying “ The number of questions is quite few in comparison to those existing in the United States where, for instance, citizens are asked about their addiction to alcohol, drug and sex”;
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• However, the Algerian League of Human Rights Protection has released a communiqué on Thursday denouncing the authorities’ move “the league is receiving letters from citizens from different corners of the country and abroad expressing their concerns about the new measures”.