• Overview

Algerian authorities fear websites and social media after controlling traditional media outlets. During this period, Algerian authorities tried to control public opinion through blocking websites and occasionally the Internet. Moreover, it terrified online journalists and activists by arbitrary arrests and political trials. Nevertheless, the Internet and social media users are remarkably increasing. Citizens in Algeria now have access to numerous information sources, they even share in creating it. The Internet plays a great role in uncovering the authorities’ corruption, mobilizing and organizing protesters who flooded the streets in February 2019, protesting the extension of Bouteflika’s term, under the “No for the fifth term” slogan. The demonstrations led to ousting Bouteflika and trying a number of the regime’s figures.

 

• Developments in the ICT sector

The Algerian population reaches approximately 43 million. The ICT sector witnessed a remarkable development during the period covered by this report. Statistics point that users of cell phones increased to around 51 million, users of landline reached about 4 million. Algeria has three companies providing cell phone networks services, while “Algerie Telecom” is monopolizing the landline networks and the ADSL services.  “Algerie Telecom -SPA” is a public economic institution with social funds shares.

The three cell phone networks companies are Mobilis – Algeria Telecom, with 42% of the telecommunication market shares in Algeria, Orascom Telecom Algeria (GAZI), a branch of the Egyptian Orascom Telecom, with 30% of the market shares and “Watania Telecom Algeria”, a shareholding company with 27% of the market shares.

 

• The legal environment for the ICT sector

On 19^th April 2018, the parliament ratified draft law no. 18-04, determining general basics concerning emails and telecommunication. The draft came into effect after it was published in the official gazette on 13^th May 2018.[1] The law includes some procedures organizing the sector, as it asserts that emails and telecommunications are under state surveillance which determines and apply measures of establishing and using different services.

The parliament also, on the same day, ratified draft law no. 18-05K concerning e-commerce. The law was published in the official gazette on 16 May 2018, including some articles concerning e-commerce.[2]

Deceased President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in a speech recited by Minister of Justice on his behalf on 24^th March 2018, on the National Day of Lawyers, uncovered efforts to prepare a draft law to counter cybercrime, yet, he did not announce a date to submit the draft.

 

• Social Networks

Algeria witnesses an increase in Internet and social media users. Statistics point out that around 25.4 million inhabitants are using the Internet, forming approximately 59% of the population. As for social networks, Algerians prefer mostly Facebook, with around 19 million users and around 480 thousand Twitter users. Instagram users exceed 4 million, while users of Snapchat reach around 2 million users.

Social networks, especially Facebook, had a prominent role in mobilizing thousands to demonstrate on Friday 22^nd February 2019 protesting Bouteflika’s fifth term. On 2^nd April 2019, protesters succeeded in ousting Bouteflika after 20 years in power.

 

 

• Blocking and Surveillance

Executive authorities cut the Internet during peaceful protests and high school exams. Moreover, websites were being blocked without judiciary permission aiming at restricting the impact of news websites and social media on public opinion. For example, protesters complained of the deterioration of the Internet speed on 1^st March 2019.

Among the news websites which were blocked: “Everything about Algeria” which was blocked since June 2019 for covering the protests. The same website was blocked on the 5^th of October 2017 on Algerie Telecom and Mobilis networks without explanations.

As the high school exams launched during June, every year, the authorities ban access to social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube, along with Whatsapp. The blockage is sustained throughout the exams period to avoid the leaking of exams.

The governmental “Algerie Telecom” blocked Youtube and many google services in Algeria, on 8^th of August 2019, the blockage was sustained till midnight. The procedure was carried out after a video was posted showing the former Algerian defense minister, Khaled Nazar, calling for Algerian soldiers to “comprehend people’s demands”, which was interpreted as incitement against army leader, Ahmed Qaied Saleh.

 

• Persecution and security threats

Trying the activist Haj Gharmoul 

Security forces, in Moaskar state (west of the capital), arrested the Human Rights Algerian Association activist and member in the National Committee for Unemployed Rights, Al-Haj Gharmoul on 27^th January 2019 for publishing a photo on Facebook showing him with a colleague carrying a banner protesting the fifth term of Abdulaziz Bouteflika.

On the 6^th of February 2019, the Moaskar State court issued a verdict sentencing Haj Gharmoul for 6 months and a fine of 30 thousand Algerian Dinars (250 US Dollars) on charges of “insulting a statutory body” under the article no. 145 of the criminal act. Haj Gharmoul spent six months in Sidi Emohammed prison in Moaskar state until he was released on 20^th July 2019.

 

Arresting human rights defender Kamal Al Din Fakhar

Security forces, on 31^st March 2019, arrested human rights defender Dr. Kamal Al Din Fakhar, for posting on Facebook. He spent 48 hours in the judiciary police station in the security council of Ghardia state, he later appeared on the 2^nd of April before the Public Prosecutor in Ghardia court. Then he was referred to an investigative judge who sentenced him on charges of “disturbing public security, inciting to violence and insulting state institutions including the judiciary”.

On the 28^th of May, 2019, Kamal Al Din Fakhar was announced dead in “Frantz Fanon hospital” in Balida (50 km from the capital), after complications due to a hunger strike he continued for two months.

It is worth mentioning that Fakhar was released on 16^th July 2017 after being jailed for two years on the background of violent incidents which erupted between Malikis and Abadis in Ghardia in the year 2015 leading to the death of 20 persons and hundreds of injured.

 

Trying activist Ramzi Shakhab for inciting to demonstrate

Lawyer and human rights defender Ramzi Shakhab was summoned by the cybercrime police of Khnashla state, on the 1^st of August 2019. The public prosecution referred the case to a misdemeanors court, accusing him of “inciting to demonstrate” through social media, on the background of a 4 minutes video published on his Facebook account in February showing his rejection of Bouteflika’s fifth term.

 

Arresting journalist Ismail Gerbal for an article published on “Alg 24”.

Algerian intelligence, on 9^th October 2018, arrested journalist Ismail Gerbal, editor-in-chief of Nahar channel, and editor of the French edition of the website, for publishing an article titled “The Information interests, where did it go?” on Alg 24 website of Nahar media group. In this article, Gerbal criticized Othman Tartak, head of the presidency intelligence. Hours later he was released under media pressure and demands to stop pursuing opinion-makers.

 

Sentencing blogger Marzouk Tawati

The primary court in Begaya (east of the capital), on 24^th May 2018, sentenced blogger Marzouk Tawati, to 10 years and a fine of 50 thousand Dinar ($430) on charges of inciting to demonstrate, calling for a sit-in in public squares, providing foreigner powers with intelligence information which may harm the military, diplomatic or economic positions of Algeria. The accusations were formed on the background of a video in which he interviewed the spokesman of the Israeli foreign ministry on his blog. On the 21^st of June 2018, the Begaya court reduced the sentence to 7 years. The supreme court repealed the verdict in January 2019 referring the case to the appeal court in Sakikeda (500 km east of the capital). On the 4^th of March 2019, the court reduced the sentence to 5 years, two of them to be executed. Having already served these two years he was released.

 

Trying Journalist Adlan Malah

Security forces arrested Adlan Malah, a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Dazayer Press website on 22^nd October 2018, on the background of a complaint filed by Anis Rahmani, owner of Nahar channel, after Malah published two articles on Algerie Direct website. Malah is the editor-in-chief of this website. Malah was tried on charges of “insulting public institutions, audiovisual recording without a license or permission and violating the sanctity of private life. Malah spent a month in detention then he was released pending the case. On 18^th June 2019, Al Sharaka court acquitted Malah of 16 charges of insult and defamation filed by the general director of Nahar group and editor-in-chief of Algeria 24 following Nahar group.

[1]                             law no. 18-04 determining general basics concerning email and telecommunication – published in the official gazette no. 27 on 13^th May 2018          https://www.joradp.dz/FTP/JO-ARABE/2018/A2018027.pdf

 

 

 

 

[2]             ^. Law no. 18-05 concerning e-trading – published in the official gazette no. 28 on 16^th May 2018                https://www.joradp.dz/FTP/JO-ARABE/2018/A2018028.pdf