Penalties outside prison for the first time in Algeria

Algerian Justice Minister Tayeb Belaiz denied reports on torture cases and said: “we categorically deny that we are afflicting people.”

• He announced the inclusion of special provisions for alternative punishment sentences for those who are not used to crime in penal code. They will be consulted on how to get punishment either by prison or performing service for the benefit of public within employment as free workers in the big developmental projects.
• He did not give much detail about the new option, he announced on the sidelines of his response to MPs questions that his ministry prepared new draft laws about fighting organized crime at its various forms and filed at the general secretariat of government for consideration and programming.
• He gave explanations on the law’s vacuum noticed in the fight against crime particularly in human trade. “These laws are related primarily to combating human organs trade and migrants smuggling.”
•  As for the criminal procedures, civil, and trade laws, the minister confirmed that committees in charge of that issue are in their final phase , mentioning that justice ministry is preparing draft legal texts in order to adapt the legislative system with the constitutional principles and the new choices in the field of supporting the protection rights.
• In reply to MPs, Beliz stated that the legislative reforms system allowed to proceed –since its application- the issuance of 59 legislative and regulatory framework, notably those texts on revising the penal code and criminal procedures and those concerning fighting the new forms of crime such as drug, money, smuggling, terrorism and corruption. These texts provisions include punitive statements capable of fighting various forms of crimes which were cited in different United Nations conventions including fighting the criminal organisations.
• As for the complementary protocols in the convention, he said that combating and suppression trade in human being, especially children and women, in addition to the protocol on smuggling migrants, which was signed by Algeria in 2003, considering the provisions of the new law about the entry of foreigners into Algeria as a legal framework which supports the Algerian legislation in the field of controlling the entry, movement and settlement of foreigners.
• In a different context, the minister of justice revealed that he will start the inauguration of administrative courts and tribunals in the big cities next year.                 
•