Algeria - Solidar

In parallel with insurrections that recently felled or shaken
authoritarian regimes that have long been in power in Arab
countries, a mass protest movement with roots going back
several decades made itself felt again in Algeria in 2011. The
demonstrations were organised to demand social justice and
respect for civil, political, economic and social rights. In January
2011, a group of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), trade
unions and political parties formed a coalition, the National
Coordination for Democratic Change (Coordination nationale
pour le changement démocratique, CNCD), demanding regime
change and an end to the state of emergency.
The state of emergency had been decreed on 9 February
1992, following the nullification of the results of the first round
of legislative elections in December 1991, which the Islamic
Salvation Front (Front islamique du salut, FIS) had won, thus
signalling the end of the democratic opening and the beginning
of the civil war.
The state of emergency, lasting for 19 years, has left a profound
mark on Algerian society and has had a particularly adverse
impact on democratic life and the fate of NGOs. The Algerian
regime claimed that the security measures were needed to
combat terrorism and subversion, but the implementation of
these measures, and especially the fact that they were maintained
well after the civil war had ended, have led to many abuses and
human rights violations.
7