Security Services Investigate the Legality of Surveillance Cameras Usage

The security services began summoning the owners of stores, commercial centres, companies, warehouses, and other properties where video surveillance systems are placed on their buildings, to settle their legal status stipulated in Executive Decree 16-61, supplementing and amending Executive Decree 09-410 and the joint ministerial decision dated October 13, 2011.

In detail, Echorouk sources revealed that within the framework of security tasks and maintaining public order, in addition to legalizing the random usage of cameras by private individuals, security services began summoning owners of shops, commercial centres, companies, warehouses and others who have placed surveillance systems on their buildings to protect and warn against thefts to form a complete file and settle their legal status, especially those who do not possess usage licenses conforming to the model specified in the joint ministerial decision dated October 13, 2011, which stipulates the modalities and conditions for the acquisition, possession, exploitation and usage of sensitive equipment.

Furthermore, Echorouk sources add that the process of inventorying and census of the installed cameras will contribute greatly to helping the security services in detecting crimes and criminals with rapid intervention in any crime occurring, in addition to exploiting video recordings to investigate crimes after receiving reports or during the investigation, and uncovering violations, misdemeanours committed in the streets and roads, and following up on the perpetrators and punishing them by justice.

In the language of justice, although many Algerians resort to video surveillance systems to secure their property, many of them know only superficial information about the widespread video surveillance systems, and they are unaware that the camera surveillance system in Algeria is subject to legal provisions following Executive Decree 16. -61 supplementing and amending Executive Decree 09-410 and the Joint Ministerial Decision “National Defense, Interior, Finance, Transport, and Post” dated October 13, 2011.

Using these cameras for spying or collecting information about people is illegal, considering that the only legal reasons for using them are purely related to security.

On this basis, the installation of such systems is mandatory under the stipulated law, following the legal regulations adopted in all countries of the world, in clearly visible locations, it is not permissible to hide them or place signs indicating that the place is surrounded by surveillance cameras, to ensure the privacy of people or store customers, commercial companies or visitors of companies and in public places, especially since extracting any video clip can only be done with permission from the regional prosecutor’s office, even if the matter is related to the security services.

In this context, the Algerian legislator criminalized the installation of cameras without a license following Law 06/23 issued in 2006, whereby the penalty for photographing people without permission reaches a maximum of 3 years in prison and should not be less than 6 months. The article also stipulates that “the law punishes everyone who intentionally harms, by violating people’s private lives, by any technology, or attempting to commit the act.”