Parliament approves a proposed law on the suppression of public drunkenness and the protection of minors from alcohol – New Algeria

Assigned president National People’s AssemblyIbrahim Boghali, his deputies, evaluated the activity of the permanent committees and followed up on their work, especially those related to temporary information missions, to which Parliament has begun to pay widespread attention. This is within the framework of monitoring the work of the government and the executive authority and working to raise citizens’ concerns and transfer their problems to the guardian authorities. This step falls within the framework of the annual meetings dedicated during this legislative period.

In another context, the Office of the National People’s Assembly expressed its approval of the draft law relating to the suppression of public drunkenness and the protection of minors from alcohol, and as “elhiwar us” learned, the office of the lower chamber of Parliament expressed its approval of the draft law relating to the suppression of public drunkenness and the protection of minors from alcohol, and the representative of the proponents of the proposal, MP Farida Ghamra, notified that “the proposal fulfills the conditions, with some reservations recorded and she was asked to expand the circle of consultation around it”, and accordingly a body was formed that includes a group of representatives. They are: Farida Ghamra, Tawil Muhammad, Ahmed Rabhi, Hisham Haddad, Riad Hannachi, Fares Zuhair, Zakia Bouqtosha, Hajira Abbas, Aisha Chaouachi, Labaid Lahcen and Lamia Zaboushi, and Farida Ghamra requested that an invitation be sent to an advisor. Minister of Justice Abdul Qadir Qasimi for his participation in enriching the discussion.

According to the presentation of the reasons for the draft law, proposed by the representative of the Movement for Society for Peace, Farida Ghamra, a copy of which “elhiwar us” has, the financial fines approved by the Penal Code for the crime of public drunkenness and the protection of minors from consuming alcohol are “very symbolic” and “do not achieve at all the idea of ​​legal deterrence.”

Criminalizing public drunkenness

As was pointed out in the proposal, “these penalties have become an embarrassment to judges when they are pronounced, and they include many terms that do not faithfully express the division of penalties, especially the use of the term imprisonment, which remains a prescribed penalty for felonies.” And as stated in the presentation of the reasons, “this law falls within the context of the legal reforms that the Algerian state initiated after 2019, which aim to moralize public life and reduce various forms of crime.” And deviation, especially since the Penal Code criminalized public insult, so it became necessary to criminalize public drunkenness.” Currently, the penalty for public insult reaches imprisonment from two to six months or more and large financial fines.

The aim of the project is to protect minors under the age of 18 from consuming Alcoholic drinks And addiction. This proposal is in addition to the legal texts currently in effect that aim to protect this category of children who deserve special care. There is another reason that has been highlighted and is related to the damage caused by drunkenness in public places that extends beyond the drunkard to others who are harmed by this, whether his family or society.

A fine and imprisonment are the penalty for drunkenness in a public place

Among the proposals contained in the draft law related to the suppression of public drunkenness and the protection of minors from alcoholism: Addressing the issue of financial fines imposed on alcohol users, as the text initially proposed a fine of 10,000 DZD to 20,000 DZD against anyone found drunk in a public place, and in the case of recidivism, the penalty will be doubled.

While Article 3 of the proposed law stipulates that the penalty of imprisonment shall range from three to five years and a fine of 50,000 DZD to 100,000 DZD, or one of these two penalties, for every person caught in a state of drunkenness who travels in a public place, during the month of Ramadan or during the year following the issuance of the ruling on the case of recidivism. The driver’s license may also be withdrawn for a period not exceeding one year. As for Article 4, it stipulates that every person found in a state of Drunkenness in a public place, and as a preventive measure, he should be detained as a precaution until he regains consciousness. The project also proposes imposing strict penalties on owners of cafés, cafés, bars, or other shop owners selling alcoholic beverages who provide alcohol for drinking to drunk people who have traveled during the period. They will be punished with a fine of 40,000 DZD to 80,000 DZD. In the event of a repeat violation, Article 6 stipulates that they will be punished with imprisonment for one to two months and a fine. Financial amounts up to 100,000 DZD to 150,000 DZD.

Preventing stores from selling alcohol to minors

Article 8 of the draft law strictly prohibits store owners from selling alcohol or offering it for free to minors under 18 years of age to carry it with them or to drink it on the spot. Article 10 says: Anyone who was sentenced less than five years ago for a misdemeanor stipulated in this order and commits the misdemeanor stipulated in this order, and commits the misdemeanor stipulated in this article, shall be punished with imprisonment from two months to a full year and a fine of 40,000 DZD to 40,000 DZD. 80,000 DZD or one of the two penalties.

In the same context, Article 11 says: “Anyone who provides alcohol for drinking to a minor who is not more than 18 years old shall be punished with the maximum penalties stipulated in Article 15 above, while owners of shops selling alcoholic beverages who receive minors under 18 years old shall be punished with a fine of 40,000 DZD to 80,000 DZD. In the event of recidivism, they shall be punished with a fine of 100,000 DZD to 200,000 DZD and imprisonment from two to six months.