Algiers, Algeria – The Algerian government is proposing significant reforms to the judiciary with a new organic law currently under review. The Minister of Justice, Abderrachid Tabi, presented the draft law to the Legal Affairs Committee of the People’s National Assembly on Sunday.
According to Minister Tabi, the existing law, enacted in 2004, no longer adequately reflects the political, social, and institutional changes, particularly since the constitutional revision of 2020. The proposed law aims to modernize the judicial framework and address perceived shortcomings.
The draft law, encompassing 110 articles, is structured around three core themes. A primary focus is bolstering the authority of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (CSM) over all professional and disciplinary matters concerning judges. This includes managing a judge’s career from appointment to retirement. The CSM, in coordination with the Ministry of Justice, would also be responsible for allocating newly appointed judges to various judicial districts. Furthermore, the CSM would approve continuous training and specialized training programs for judges and be empowered to grant judges licenses for specific activities.
The proposed legislation also seeks to strengthen judicial independence and safeguard the integrity of the judiciary. The draft law establishes clear criteria for transferring judges, balancing the overall interests of the judicial system with the individual interests of the judge. Judges would have the right to request transfers during the annual judicial reshuffle or for specific, justifiable reasons outlined in the organic law related to the CSM.
Other rights afforded to judges under the new law include the right to unionize, take leave, and receive state protection against attacks or threats encountered during the performance of their duties. The law aims to ensure the impartiality of judges by [further details would be included here if available in original article].
