HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
Eighth session
UPR ALGERIA - 10 JUNE 2008
Oral declaration presented by the
European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ)
The ECLJ has read the various reports concerning Algeria, and more particularly the Report of the Working Party on the Universal Periodic Review, and congratulates its authors on the quality of their report.
Further to the recurrent observations of the various States, including Belgium, Brazil and the Holy See, and those of NGOs, concerning the worrying situation of religious freedom in Algeria, the ECLJ notes the resolution expressed by Algeria to maintain dialogue with those of its citizens who practise a minority religion.
The ECLJ nevertheless regrets Algeria’s refusal to take account of Recommendation 55 expressed by Belgium. In its recommendation, Belgium notes the deterioration of religious freedom and calls on Algeria to suspend application of the 2006 decree that is the source of the intolerable pressure being exerted on the local Christian communities.
In view of the effects of this decree, namely the ban and closure of more than two-thirds of the Protest churches in Algeria (20 out of 32), and the conviction by the courts of a growing number of Christian Algerians, including a Roman Catholic priest, on religious grounds, the decree is the origin of what many commentators are already referring to as a form of “anti-Christian persecution”. Further to this, and for its part, the ECLJ wishes to stress the urgent need not only to develop dialogue with religious minorities, but also and above all to give full practical application to the principle of religious freedom as affirmed in the Algerian Constitution.
Lastly, the ECLJ welcomes with satisfaction Algeria’s desire to facilitate the visit of parties holding human rights mandates. On this point, the ECLJ hopes that Algeria will extend an invitation to the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religions and conscience in the very near future.
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