Algeria

The peaceful protest movement Hirak, which began in 2019 calling for radical political change in Algeria, continues, although protests have been curtailed since March 2020 due to COVID-19 restriction measures.

The country went into a national lockdown in response to COVID-19 from 4 April until June; since then, the lifting of restrictions has been gradual.. In February 2021, the National Syndicate of Liberal Doctors reported that at least 157 doctors had died as a result of COVID-19, and almost all of them had contracted the disease.

In April, Parliament adopted the Preventing and Combating Discrimination and Hate Speech Law, which includes a penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for those who breach it. However, the Law failed to refer to discrimination based on religion, sexuality or gender identity.

In November, a new Constitution was adopted by referendum that saw a very low turnout due to controversy over the process. The Constitution improved language on women’s rights and social and economic rights, but maintained the death penalty and fell short of international standards on freedoms of expression, assembly and judicial independence.

The authorities continue to detain and prosecute peaceful protesters, journalists, activists and citizens for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and expression relating to the mass protest movement known as Hirak. Legislative changes continue to impose further restrictions on freedoms of expression and association, by imposing heavy criminal sanctions for spreading “fake news” and for receiving certain types of foreign funds. A new Constitution was adopted in 2020, which improved protection for women but imposed undue restrictions on rights and freedoms by making the exercise of freedom of speech conditional on religious and cultural values. The authorities continue to prevent Christian churches from operating and harass members of the Ahmadiyya religious community. They also continue to proceed with mass and arbitrary expulsions of migrants. Discrimination against women in law and practice continues, as does gender-based violence and femicide. Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized and several arrests were made in 2020. The right to form trade unions remains restricted.