Human Rights Watch gives dark image about Algeria

Human Rights Watch said Algeria failed into introduce promised reforms and severely restricted human rights. “Authorities continued to stifle free speech and rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly and protest, arbitrarily arresting and prosecuting trade union and human rights activists,” it said in its annual report.

Human Rights Watch also said the government blocks the legal registration of several national and international human rights organizations and prohibits public gatherings. It referred to Article 97 of the penal code.

Speaking about freedom of speech, Human Rights Watch said arrests, prosecutes, and imprisons critics using penal code provisions. They also threatened media deemed critical of the government.

As for women’s rights, it mentioned a draft law adopted by Parliament to amend the penal code to criminalize physical violence against a spouse and sexual harassment in public spaces.  Yet, it said there is no other specific law in Algeria on domestic violence that provides measures to protect individuals from domestic violence.