Algeria, Africa

Algeria is the largest country of the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent. The conquest of Algeria by the French (1830-1958) was long and particularly violent, and it resulted in the disappearance of about a third of the Algerian population. In December 1991, the Islamic Salvation Front won the first round of the country's first multi-party elections. The military then intervened and cancelled the second round. It forced then-president Bendjedid to resign and banned all political parties based on religion (including the Islamic Salvation Front). A political conflict ensued, leading Algeria into the violent Algerian Civil War (1992-2002). Much of Algeria is now recovering and developing into an emerging economy. According to Article 388 of the penal code from 1996, sodomy may be punished with imprisonment from two months to 2 years and a fine of 10,000 Algerian dinars. Algerian public attitudes can be 'violently homophobic; gay people can be assassination targets of Islamic fundamentalists and that honor killings by family and neighbors are not rare. Also see: Islam and Homosexuality