OUTREACH TO ALGERIAN DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000521 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DRL/SEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREL AG SUBJECT: OUTREACH TO ALGERIAN DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS REF: A. 07 ALGIERS 01181 ¶B. STATE 44903 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROBERT S. FORD. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Advancing the President's Freedom Agenda has been an ongoing effort by Embassy Algiers since the arrival of the Ambassador in August 2006. The Ambassador and Embassy officers routinely meet with democracy and human rights activists, political parties, journalists, and other members of civil society. Embassy Algiers in the past year has accented free and fair processes for the May 2007 parliamentary elections and the November 2007 local elections, as well as freedom of press and the importance of civil society. END SUMMARY ¶2. (C) Since our last report on support for Freedom Agenda (ref A),the Ambassador held the following meetings with human rights activists, political oppositions parties, lawyers and journalists: -------------- GENERAL HUMAN RIGHTS -------------- - On April 15, The Ambassador travelled to Annaba and visited the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LADDH) center in Annaba. The Ambassador met with the center's director, Kamel Daoud, as well as other activists working in the center. Again, the Ambassador stressed U.S. support to human rights, and we have encouraged the center to submit a proposal for MEPI small grants funding. - On March 1, the Ambassador met with the President of Algerian league for the Defense of Human Rights (LADDH) Mustafa Bouchaoui, one of the oldest human rights organizations in Algeria. Bouchaoui is known to be the most outspoken advocates in Algeria on human rights issues, including freedom of the press and preventing prison abuse. The Ambassador stressed our commitment to human rights and solicited views on ways the U.S. could support human rights in Algeria. -------------- PRESS FREEDOM -------------- - On May 1, the Ambassador made a public speech on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, dedicated to freedom of the press and organized by the Algerian journalists' syndicate. The event was funded by a MEPI small grant, at our initiative. - On January 22, the Ambassador hosted lunch with Omar Belhouchet, the editor of French-language daily El Watan, who is fighting off various defamation cases because of (credible) stories the paper has run on issues such as corruption. Belhouchet is the most well known Algerian journalist and his legal cases have attracted attention from groups like Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists. - On December 10, Ambassador hosted Ali Djerri, at the time editor of Arabic-language daily el Khabar, whose newspaper also ran frequent stories criticizing the Algerian government for policy choices and corruption; Djerri was forced out of his job in January, and the Ambassador hosted him again for coffee then to discuss how to sustain press freedom in Algeria. - On October 23 Ambassador hosted lawyer Fatma Benbrahim for lunch to discuss how defamation laws work in Algeria and how they might be changed. - On October 22 Ambassador called on lawyer Mohamed Bourayou who has represented several newspapers fighting off defamation cases to seek a better understanding of defamation laws in Algeria and how to change them. -------------- POLITICAL OPPOSITION -------------- - On February 18, the Ambassador met with opposition leader Said Sadi, the most vocal opposition leader in the Algerian political arena. In the meeting, the Ambassador stressed American support for real debate in the parliament and our hope for a fair election process in 2009. Ambassador's meeting with Sadi got press attention and provoked Algerian Government criticism of alleged interference in Algerian internal affairs. - On October 3 Ambassador hosted lawyer Miloud Brahimi and opposition politician Amara Benyounes to discuss ways in which the U.S. might provide support to civil society and political parties trying to promote democratic evolution in Algeria. - Ambassador on September 6 met hardline opposition leader Hocine Ait Ahmed during one of Ait Ahmed's short visits to Algeria. Ambassador urged Ait Ahmed to stop boycotting elections and to participate in the process and highlight shortcomings based on knowledge gained from actual participation. - The Ambassador hosted lunches and dinners at his residence that included parlimentarians from the Said Sadi's Cultural and Democracy Gathering (RCD),Algerian Socialist Forces Front (FFS) and from tamed opposition Workers Party. FORD