Arab Uprising Impact’s on Press Freedom
In its 10th annual press freedom index, Reporters Without Borders (RWB) assessed the evolution of press and media freedom after one year of turmoil in the Arab world. RWB noted "The transitions that have begun are not necessarily leading towards more ...
Pressure Surrounding Upcoming Elections in Algeria
Algeria, the only North African state "untouched by the Arab spring", will be under tremendous pressure as it prepares for parliamentary elections this coming May. Algerian authorities recently gave the green light for ten additional political parties to stand in the elections, but a larger problem has surfaced--the apathy of the Algerian electorate. The last elections saw a 35% turn out, the lowest number in Algerian history. The government has resorted to text ...
Algeria to Allow Opponents to Participate in Elections
For the first time in over a decade, the Algerian government has decided to give 10 new opposition parties the opportunity to register officially as political entities. Algeria, which in the 1990's endured over a decade of civil war resulting in the deaths of nearly 200,000 Algerians, has more or less remained passive as neighbors Libya, Egypt, Tunisia overthrew their respective leaders with hopes of developing legitimate representation. Analysts contend that Algeria, with ...
Algerian Foreign Minister Visits U.S.
Last week, Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci met with U.S. officials in Washington for bilateral talks. He spoke with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on economic ties, military co-operation and political issues regarding the upcoming parliament elections in May 2012. ...
Algerian Legislative Elections in May, Protesters Injured
10 demonstrators were injured by the security forces in Laghouat, southern Algeria, who were protesting unemployment and housing shortage. According to the a representative of the National Coordination for the Defence of the Rights of the Unemployed, the protesters reacted ...
Algeria Adopts Controversial Media Law
On Wednesday, Algeria passed a new media law that promises freedom of the press, but outlines 12 areas where journalists much approach with caution "to avoid undermining Algeria's national identity, sovereignty and security and the country's economic interests." ...
December 14, 2011
Category: Algeria, Featured, Freedom, Government, Media, Public Opinion, Rule of Law
Algeria Maintains Ban on Islamist Party
On Tuesday, Algeria's national assembly voted to continue the ban on the main Islamist party, the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). The vote will maintain the two decade old ban, as parliamentarians debated proposals for a new electoral law. ...
December 6, 2011
Category: Algeria, Elections, Freedom, Islamist movements, Political Islam, Political Parties, Reform
Controversial Press Law Enters Algerian Parliament
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has submitted a new media law to parliament as part of a promised package of reforms, which removes criminal penalties for defamation and replaces them with fines. Bouteflika promised a host of reforms, including a freer ...
Female Algerian MPs Label Policy “Discriminatory”
Female members of Algeria's parliament have criticized a law adopted that reverses an initial bill to vastly improve female representation. The original bill, which was part of a series of reforms promised by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, proposed electoral list quotas for women of 30 percent. The amended bill requires the number of female MPs will be directly proportional to the number of seats in each constituency, with 20 percent of seats reserved for ...
U.S. Entrepreneurship Delegation Visits Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco
U.S. State Department Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Lorraine Hariton is leading a delegation of "American entrepreneurs, early-stage investors, non-governmental organization representatives, and academics" to Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The visit, which began October 27 and ...
Algerian Lawyers Protest Proposed Law
A group of Algerian lawyers went on strike Tuesday, protesting against proposed changes in attorney regulations which they say will limit their independence and powers in court. The strike was due to last three days and was called ...
Chaos in Libya Threatens Algerian Stablity
An increase in terrorist attacks, caused by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), "threatens pro-western Algeria's political stability even as it struggles to defuse popular discontent sparked by the Arab spring, according to a new study." The study, conducted ...
State Dept. Releases International Religious Freedom Reports
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton introduced the State Department's annual International Religious Freedom Report, stating that "it is our core conviction that religious tolerance is one of the essential elements not only of a sustainable democracy but of ...
September 16, 2011
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Category: Algeria, Bahrain, Civil Society, Egypt, Freedom, Iran, Iraq, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, US politics
Algeria Loosens Constraints on Media
In a move to defuse popular anger, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria approved a series of media reforms that will allow for the establishment of private radio and television stations for the first time since the country gained independence ...
September 13, 2011
Category: Algeria, Featured, Freedom, Media, Middle Eastern Media, Political transition
Algeria: Government Prepared to Recognize Libya’s NTC
After much hesitation, Algerian Foreign Minister, Mourad Medelci, announced that Algeria was prepared to recognize Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) once it composed a “government representative of all regions.” Algeria initially balked at acknowledging the NTC's legitimacy amid fears that it ...
September 1, 2011
Category: Algeria, Arab League, Featured, Libya, Political transition, Western Sahara
Algerian Government Grants Sanctuary to Gadhafi Family
Colum Lynch argues the Algerian government's decision to provide refuge to Muammar Gadhafi's wife and children would appear "at first glance to constitute a clear-cut violation of a U.N. measure banning travel by the Libyan leader and members of ...
“Algeria Will Be Next to Fall”
Bruce Riedel discusses the vulnerabilities and underlying tensions that could lead to unrest in Algeria. The Arab protest movement actually began in Algeria, with massive demonstrations in January. But the fear of returning to the chaos of the 1990's soon tempered protesters. The war in Libya has been "deeply disturbing" for Algerians, and the NATO intervention recalled bitter memories of colonialism. Nevertheless, socioeconomic and political problems, including unemployment, a youth bulge, and ...
Algeria “Not Immune” to the Arab Uprisings
In an interview with Reuters, leader of the Front for Justice and Development party, Sheikh Abdallah Djaballah, said that the Algerian government has failed to address the undemocratic system and has instead tried to hand out money to appease popular dissent. He said, "The regime wanted to fix the problem financially by saying that the crisis is social and that raising wages will be enough... It is true that the social aspect ...