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Algeria: Update to DZA35700.E of 19 December 2000 on the situation in Algiers; whether terrorist groups are present; whether there is state protection; whether policemen are acting with impunity; whether members of police or army are corrupted (January 2005-May 2005)

Security situation in Algiers

No information on attacks committed in Algiers during the period covered by this Response could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints. However, many sources indicated that terrorist attacks took place in Algeria outside Algiers (Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent 14 Apr 2005; La Tribune 10 Apr. 2005; AFP 8 Apr. 2005; ibid. 12 Mar. 2005; ibid. 21 Feb. 2005; ibid. 22 Jan. 2005; ibid. 8 Jan. 2005; DPA 9 Apr. 2005; Canadian Press 14 Apr. 2005; ibid. 13 Jan. 2005; AP 3 Apr. 2005; ibid. 12 Mar. 2005; ibid. 16 Feb. 2005).

More specifically, sources referred to serious attacks, including, three deaths-one of which was a soldier-on 22 January 2005 in Béjaïa, 260 kilometres from Algiers (AFP 22 Jan. 2005); 10 deaths-all soldiers-on 21 February 2005, 430 kilometres from Algiers (ibid. 21 Feb. 2005); two or three police officers killed by [translation] "armed Islamists" on 9 and 10 March 2005 in Bouira, 120 kilometres from Algiers (ibid. 12 Mar. 2005; see also AP 12 Mar. 2005); four deaths on 3 April 2005 near Soussan, 75 kilometres from Algiers (ibid. 3 Apr. 2005); 13 (AFP 8 Apr. 2005; La Tribune 10 Apr. 2005) or 14 (DPA 9 Apr. 2005) deaths on 7 April 2005 in Larbaa, 30 kilometres from Algiers (ibid.; AFP 8 Apr. 2005; La Tribune 10 Apr. 2005); and five deaths in three attacks on 14 April 2005 in Relizane, 300 kilometres from Algiers, and in Tébessa, 630 kilometres from Algiers (Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent 14 Apr. 2005; Canadian Press 14 Apr. 2005).

The security situation has reportedly improved in Algeria in the last few years (Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent 14 Apr. 2005; HRW 4 Mar. 2005; United States 28 Apr. 2005). According to the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), an organization created by the United States Department of State to provide security-related information to American businesses and groups that have interests in other countries, the improved security could be felt in Algiers in particular (ibid.). The report indicated that there was a very heavy police presence in Algiers-the government wants to increase the police force by 30,000 over the next several years, as the role of the military decreases (ibid.). In addition, the report indicated that police officers are receiving higher salaries and that the quality and professionalism of recruits have improved (ibid.).

However, in spring 2004, the Justice Commission for Algeria (Comité justice pour l'Algérie), an ad hoc commission created in 2003 to participate in the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal (tribunal permanent des peuples, TPP)-a tribunal founded in Bologna in 1979 that holds mock trials against states that are allegedly guilty of crimes against humanity (El Watan 10 Nov. 2004)-indicated that the number of killings in Algeria had decreased since 1999; although the killings have not ceased, they are now reported in brief articles in Algerian newspapers and are mentioned only rarely in the international press (CJA May 2004). In addition, the state of emergency that has been in effect since 1992 continues despite the present calm in the country (Algeria-Watch 8 May 2005). Human Rights Watch (HRW) indicated that it is difficult for human rights organizations to conduct investigations in Algeria (4 Mar. 2005). For example, after a five-year absence, Amnesty International (AI) has finally obtained the right to return to Algeria, and will do so in May 2005 (Algeria-Watch 8 May 2005).

According to Country Reports 2004, 93 civilians were killed in attacks in 2004, compared with 198 in 2003 (28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.a). Country Reports 2004 specified that the majority of the attacks were in the countryside "as the security forces largely forced terrorists out of the cities" (28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.a). Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent stated that, in April 2005, fewer than 800 terrorists were active in certain wooded and mountainous regions of Algeria (14 Apr. 2005).

The July 2004 assassination of Rachid Abou Tourab, head of the Armed Islamic Group (Groupe islamique armé, GIA), announced by the interior ministry in January 2005, led to the "'almost total collapse' of the deadliest [anti-secular] extremist force" in Algeria (AFP 4 Jan. 2005).

Reaction of the authorities

Several articles described the arrest of members of apparent terrorist organizations, namely, six members of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat, GSPC) several hundred kilometres from Algiers (AFP 17 Apr. 2005; Canadian Press 17 Apr. 2005), and of the national emir of the GIA, Nourredine Boudiafi, in the suburbs of Algiers (ibid. 3 Jan. 2005). On 30 April 2005, Boulenouar Oukil, the new leader of the group, was also arrested by the Algerian authorities (UPI 30 Apr. 2005). Other sources mentioned additional criminal trials involving the leaders of similar organizations (AFP 8 Jan. 2005; Canadian Press 24 Apr. 2005). For example, a criminal court in Constantine sentenced a GIA leader and his assistant to death (AFP 8 Jan. 2005). Furthermore, the Algerian security forces killed several members of terrorist groups: according to Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA), seven people suspected of belonging to an Algerian terrorist group were killed on 1 February 2005, 440 kilometres from Algiers (3 Feb. 2005). Country Reports 2004 stated that, according to press reports, the security forces had killed 219 terrorists and had arrested 444 others between January and December 2004 (28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.a).

Corruption

No information on corruption among security forces in Algiers could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. However, according to Country Reports 2004, although some corruption does exist in the police and the gendarmerie, especially in the customs police, it is "limited to individuals and [is] not sanctioned by the state" (28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.d).

At the beginning of 2005, an Associated Press report announced a government bill to fight corruption, which criminalizes [translation] "unjust enrichment" and increases the severity of the Penal Code sentences for corruption (3 Feb. 2005). According to a Canadian Press article, [translation] "today, political will seems to exist to fight corruption, if we believe the Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who, at the end of 2004, pointed out the need to continue relentlessly the fight against corruption" (6 Jan. 2005).

Impunity

Concerning the impunity of the security forces, Amnesty International (AI) indicated in 2003 that

[AI English version]

[n]o full, independent and impartial investigations were carried out into the mass human rights abuses committed since 1992, including thousands of cases of extrajudicial executions, deliberate and arbitrary killings of civilians, torture and ill-treatment, and "disappearances." In the overwhelming majority of cases, no concrete measures were known to have been taken to bring to justice those responsible for human rights abuses committed by the security forces, state-armed militias or armed groups in 2003 or previous years.

A joint release issued by AI, the International Commission of Jurists and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), among others, commented on Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's proposal of a general amnesty for human rights violators, saying that such an amnesty could mean that certain members of armed groups would be exempt from state prosecution (AI 14 Apr. 2005); HRW also expressed concern about this amnesty (HRW 14 Apr. 2005).

Quoting the Algerian government, Country Reports 2004 pointed out that, as a matter of policy, all soldiers or police officers who violate human rights are punished; each year, between 300 and 400 police officers are dismissed as a result of "stricter disciplinary standards and better recruitment" (28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.a). However, Country Reports 2004 indicated that the government does not release official information in that regard (28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.a). The report also pointed out that police impunity remains a problem in Algeria, and that most abuses of police authority relate to the failure to follow the established guidelines for arrests (Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 1.d).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 17 April 2005. "Arrestation de six 'terroristes' tunisiens s'apprêtant à rejoindre le GSPC." (Dialog)
_____. 8 April 2005. "Tuerie près d'Alger : les islamistes armés restent une menace pour la paix." (Dialog)
_____. 12 March 2005. "Deux policiers et deux islamistes armés tués dans des violences." (Courrier AFP)
_____. 21 February 2005. "Le GSPC annonce avoir tué 10 militaires dans l'est algérien." (Courrier AFP)
_____. 22 January 2005. "Trois morts dans des violences en Algérie." (Courrier AFP)
_____. 8 January 2005. "Un chef de groupe et son adjoint condamnés à mort dans l'est algérien." (Courrier AFP)
_____. 4 January 2005. Boubker Belkadi. "Algeria's Deadliest Armed Group Virtually Wiped Out: Government." (Dialog)

Algeria-Watch. 8 May 2005. Karim Kebir Liberté. "Amnesty International revient." <http://www.algeria-watch.org/fr/mrv/mrvrap/ai_revient.htm> [Accessed 9 May 2005]

Amnesty International (AI). 14 April 2005. "Algérie : La loi d'amnistie risque de légaliser l'impunité pour les auteurs de crimes contre l'humanité." (MDE28/005/2005) <http://www.algeria-watch.org/fr/article/pol/amnistie/declaration_conjointe.htm> [Accessed 9 May 2005]
_____. 2003. Rapport annuel 2003. "Algérie." <http://web.amnesty.org/web/web.nsf/print/A14524DA665AD713C1256E9000602E35> [Accessed 4 May 2005]

Associated Press (AP). 3 April 2005. "Quatre membres des forces de sécurité tués dans une attaque terroriste à l'est d'Alger." (Dialog)
_____. 12 March 2005. "Trois policiers tués et un blessé dans une attaque à l'est d'Alger." (Dialog)
_____. 16 February 2005. "Une dizaine d'islamistes abattus par l'armée algérienne." (Dialog)
_____. 3 February 2005. "La lutte contre la corruption à l'ordre du jour du gouvernement algérien." (Dialog)

The Canadian Press. 24 April 2005. "Le tribunal d'Alger confirme le renvoi du procès du chef terroriste 'Abderazak El Para'." (Dialog/AP)
_____. 17 April 2005. "Six djihadistes tunisiens arrêtés dans l'Est algérien." (Dialog/AP)
_____. 14 April 2005. "Cinq personnes tuées dans une série d'attentats en Algérie." (Dialog/AP)
_____. 13 January 2005. "Algérie : le ministre de l'Intérieur confirme le démantèlement du GIA et promet le même sort au GSPC." (Dialog/AP)
_____. 6 January 2005. Hassane Meftaki. "L'Algérie décidée à lutter contre la corruption." (Dialog/AP)
_____. 3 January 2005. "Le GIA quasiment démantelé après l'arrestation de son 'emir national,' selon les autorités algériennes." (Dialog/AP)

Comité Justice pour l'Algérie (CJA). May 2004. Dossier no 2. Salima Mellah. Les massacres en Algérie, 1992-2004. <http://www.algerie-tpp.org/tpp/pdf/dossier_2_massacres.pdf> [Accessed 9 May 2005]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. 28 February 2005. "Algeria." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. <http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41718.htm> [Accessed 4 May 2005]

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 9 April 2005. "Islamic Extremists Kill 14 Civilians in Algeria." (Dialog)
_____. 3 February 2005. "Algerian Security Forces Kill Seven Presumed Islamic Terrorists." (Dialog)

El Watan [Algiers]. 10 November 2005. "L'Algérie au banc des accusés." <http://www.algerie-tpp.org/tpp/presse/banc_accuses.htm> [Accessed 10 May 2005]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 14 April 2005. "Algeria: Amnesty Law Risks Legalizing Impunity for Crimes Against Humanity." <http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/04/14/algeri10485_txt.htm> [Accessed 9 May 2005]
_____. 4 March 2005. Tom Malinowski. "Human Rights in Algeria." <http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/03/04/algeri10260_txt.htm> [Accessed 4 May 2005]

Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent [Paris]. 14 April 2005. "Trois attentats terroristes : 5 morts et plusieurs blessés." <http://www.lintelligent.com/articleImp.asp?art_cle=XIN00915troislanruo0> (AFP) [Accessed 4 May 2005]

La Tribune [Algiers]. 10 April 2005. "13 morts dans un faux barrage à Larbaa, près d'Alger : l'attaque s'est produite jeudi dernier." (AllAfrica/Dialog)

United Press International (UPI). 30 April 2005. "Algeria GIA Militant Head Arrested." <http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050430-064740-4516r.htm> [Accessed 9 May 2005]

United States. 28 April 2005. Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), Department of State. "Crime/Safety Report for Algiers, Algeria." <http://www.ds-osac.org/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=28081> [Accessed 9 May 2005]

Additional Sources Consulted

The Ligue algérienne de défense des droits de l'homme (LADDH) and the Ligue algérienne des droits de l'homme (LADH) did not respond to information requests within the time constraints.

Internet sites, including: BBC, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), L'Expression, Freedom House, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Liberté, La Nouvelle République, Le Soir d'Algérie, World News

Connection (WNC).

Topics: Militias,