Overview of Human Rights in Algeria

The situation in Algeria has been tense since an internal conflict began in 1992. Each year it is estimated that hundreds of innocent civilians die at the hands of security forces and armed groups claiming to be Islamist. Though the casualty rate has decreased from its 2002 peak of 1,500 civilians, it has not decreased to the point of being "residual" as Algerian officials claim. To this day, thousands of cases of torture, abduction, and killing committed by security forces, state-armed militia and armed groups remain uninvestigated. Mass impunity has prevailed for the perpetrators of these and other human rights abuses in this conflict which has to date claimed the lives of over 100,000 people.

State controlled media remain the official voice in Algeria. Massive demonstrations and massacres are rarely brought to light. Though private media outlets exist, they are censored at the will of those in power. Opposition party politicians rarely receive any media coverage due to this censorship.

While some contact with the outside world is growing as technologies such as the Internet and cell phones proliferate across the globe, many due to their financial status still do not have access to the most basic necessities. Protests over a wide range of political, social, and economic issues, such as job and housing shortages, corruption, and access to water are often either forbidden or forcibly broken up. 

Algerian human rights organizations and lawyers are often at a loss due to the fear among victims and their families to come forward and admit atrocities against, let alone testify in a court that is likely corrupt. The advancement of human rights in Algeria is currently not a priority to the government.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

102nd out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.