Hassi Messaoud mob attacks against women
Encyclopedia
Hassi Messaoud controversy (mob attacks against women) (in French: L'affaire des femmes violées de Hassi Messaoud) refers to many especially violent attacks against women living in the city of Hassi Messaoud
in Algeria
in July 2001
and the continuing court cases associated with it. The controversy has received much coverage in the French-language press, including in Algeria and in France, which has a significant Algerian immigrant community.
The appeals process continued into 2005.
is a petroleum industry hub in the centre of Algeria
. It has approximately 53,000 inhabitants. Various petroleum businesses operate there, and the city has become a place to seek employment and economic security for many Algerians, which is in the midst of a civil war. This has led to the development of many bidonvilles (shantytowns) around the city.
Many women have migrated to Hassi Messaoud to find employment doing maintenance tasks, secretarial work or in catering in the petroleum companies. Such women work, but also live alone, in a very traditional region. Islamic preachers have accused them of having a "second job", i.e. working as prostitutes by night in addition to their day jobs, in a region with a high unemployment rate among men. Before the mob violence, many women had been the object of insults, and some had been physically threatened.
, (a male guardian according to the Maliki
tradition), could only be prostitutes.
During the night of 13 to 14 July, around 10 PM, a mob of around 300 men moved in the direction of the bidonville El-Haïcha, where women working as housecleaners, cooks and secretaries lived. Over the course of five hours, 40 women in the area were attacked, beaten, raped, mutilated, and dragged through the street naked. Their homes were looted and some were burnt. Some of the attackers were armed with knives. The police did not arrive until 3 AM, putting an end to the violence.
This was repeated the following night, and then on July 16 it was repeated in other neighborhoods of the city. On July 17, then on July 23 and 24, the violence spread to the city of Tebessa
, then further south where businesses owned by lone women were vandalized.
Dozens of women were hospitalized, six in critical condition. There were 95 women and children who found refuge in a youth hostel. Others hired taxis to leave the city and return to their region of origin. Three of the young women who were raped were virgins at the time of the incidents. The newspaper La Tribune wrote of four to six deaths, which authorities denied. Witnesses described seeing several dead women.. In August 2001
, the association SOS Femmes en détresse spoke of woman killed by an attack, and three who remained hospitalized
Thirty-nine women decided to file charges. In the first instance, in June 2004, none of the victims were able to have recourse to a lawyer, not even those who were promised by the Ministry of Solidarity. Most of the charges against the 32 attackers were deemed waived, retaining only "the mob in the street and public order offenses". The appeal process began in December 2004, but was postponed to 2005, at the court of Biskra
, to allow all of those accused to be present in court. At the reopening of the trial, only six of the accused were present, facing three victims. Under pressure and threats (including even within the courtroom during the first trial) the other women abandoned their lawsuits. Prison sentences of eight, six and three years were delivered to the three accused who were present, and the three others were acquitted. Most of the attackers were sentenced in absentia
: 20 were sentenced to 20 years, 4 were sentenced to 10 years and one was sentenced to five years. However, only three had to serve their sentences.
and elsewhere in Algeria
, notably M'sila
.
In February 2010
, two of the victims, Rahmouna Salah and Fatiha Maamoura, published a book, Laissées pour mortes, Le lynchage des femmes de Hassi Messaoud, through Éditions Max Milo. An Algerian actress Nadia Kaci collected their accounts of the events.
Hassi Messaoud
Hassi Messaoud is a town in Ouargla province, southeast Algeria, north Africa. Oil was discovered there in 1956 and the town's prominence has grown rapidly since then. It is an oil refinery town named after the first oil well. A water well, dug in 1917, can be found on the airport side of town...
in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
in July 2001
July 2001
July 2001: January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December-----July 1, 2001:* Aliso Viejo officially becomes the 34th city in Orange County, California....
and the continuing court cases associated with it. The controversy has received much coverage in the French-language press, including in Algeria and in France, which has a significant Algerian immigrant community.
The appeals process continued into 2005.
Context
The city of Hassi MessaoudHassi Messaoud
Hassi Messaoud is a town in Ouargla province, southeast Algeria, north Africa. Oil was discovered there in 1956 and the town's prominence has grown rapidly since then. It is an oil refinery town named after the first oil well. A water well, dug in 1917, can be found on the airport side of town...
is a petroleum industry hub in the centre of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. It has approximately 53,000 inhabitants. Various petroleum businesses operate there, and the city has become a place to seek employment and economic security for many Algerians, which is in the midst of a civil war. This has led to the development of many bidonvilles (shantytowns) around the city.
Many women have migrated to Hassi Messaoud to find employment doing maintenance tasks, secretarial work or in catering in the petroleum companies. Such women work, but also live alone, in a very traditional region. Islamic preachers have accused them of having a "second job", i.e. working as prostitutes by night in addition to their day jobs, in a region with a high unemployment rate among men. Before the mob violence, many women had been the object of insults, and some had been physically threatened.
First incident
During the day of prayer on Friday, July 13, 2001 an imam described as fundamentalist, Amar Taleb, verbally attacked the women coming from the regions of the northwest to work in the petroleum companies, inciting the men in attendance to commit violent acts against them. He accused them of "immoral" behaviour, calling for a "Jihad against the devil" in order to "hunt down fornicating women". According to him, women living alone, without a waliWali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
, (a male guardian according to the Maliki
Maliki
The ' madhhab is one of the schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. It is the second-largest of the four schools, followed by approximately 25% of Muslims, mostly in North Africa, West Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and in some parts of Saudi Arabia...
tradition), could only be prostitutes.
During the night of 13 to 14 July, around 10 PM, a mob of around 300 men moved in the direction of the bidonville El-Haïcha, where women working as housecleaners, cooks and secretaries lived. Over the course of five hours, 40 women in the area were attacked, beaten, raped, mutilated, and dragged through the street naked. Their homes were looted and some were burnt. Some of the attackers were armed with knives. The police did not arrive until 3 AM, putting an end to the violence.
This was repeated the following night, and then on July 16 it was repeated in other neighborhoods of the city. On July 17, then on July 23 and 24, the violence spread to the city of Tebessa
Tébessa
Tébessa is the capital city of Tébessa Province, Algeria, 20 kilometers west from the border with Tunisia. Nearby is also a phosphate mine. The city is famous for the traditional Algerian carpets in the region, and is home to over 161,440 people.-History:...
, then further south where businesses owned by lone women were vandalized.
Dozens of women were hospitalized, six in critical condition. There were 95 women and children who found refuge in a youth hostel. Others hired taxis to leave the city and return to their region of origin. Three of the young women who were raped were virgins at the time of the incidents. The newspaper La Tribune wrote of four to six deaths, which authorities denied. Witnesses described seeing several dead women.. In August 2001
August 2001
August 2001: January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December-----August 1, 2001:* Law goes into effect in Germany legalizing same-sex registered partnerships.-August 6, 2001:...
, the association SOS Femmes en détresse spoke of woman killed by an attack, and three who remained hospitalized
The trials
According to newspaper La Tribune, imam Amar Taleb was arrested, as well as 40 men who took part in the violence. Le Matin confirmed 9 arrests. Amar Taleb, however, continues to preach in the largest mosque in the city.Thirty-nine women decided to file charges. In the first instance, in June 2004, none of the victims were able to have recourse to a lawyer, not even those who were promised by the Ministry of Solidarity. Most of the charges against the 32 attackers were deemed waived, retaining only "the mob in the street and public order offenses". The appeal process began in December 2004, but was postponed to 2005, at the court of Biskra
Biskra
Biskra is the capital city of Biskra province, Algeria. In 2007, its population was recorded as 207,987.During Roman times the town was called Vescera, though this may have been simply a Latin transliteration of the native name. Around 200 AD under Septimius Severus' reign, it was seized by the...
, to allow all of those accused to be present in court. At the reopening of the trial, only six of the accused were present, facing three victims. Under pressure and threats (including even within the courtroom during the first trial) the other women abandoned their lawsuits. Prison sentences of eight, six and three years were delivered to the three accused who were present, and the three others were acquitted. Most of the attackers were sentenced in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
: 20 were sentenced to 20 years, 4 were sentenced to 10 years and one was sentenced to five years. However, only three had to serve their sentences.
Continuing attacks
As of 2011, similar mob attacks against women are continuing in Hassi MessaoudHassi Messaoud
Hassi Messaoud is a town in Ouargla province, southeast Algeria, north Africa. Oil was discovered there in 1956 and the town's prominence has grown rapidly since then. It is an oil refinery town named after the first oil well. A water well, dug in 1917, can be found on the airport side of town...
and elsewhere in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, notably M'sila
M'Sila
M'Sila ; is the capital of M'Sila Province, Algeria, and is co-extensive with M'Sila District. It has a population of over 100,000...
.
Films and publications
The incident was the subject of a dramatic film, released in 2008 : Vivantes ! by Said Ould Khelifa.In February 2010
February 2010
February 2010 was the second month of that year. It began on a Monday and ended after 28 days on a Sunday.-Portal:Current events:This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from February 2010.-References:...
, two of the victims, Rahmouna Salah and Fatiha Maamoura, published a book, Laissées pour mortes, Le lynchage des femmes de Hassi Messaoud, through Éditions Max Milo. An Algerian actress Nadia Kaci collected their accounts of the events.