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