The archdiocese of Algiers, which covers several dioceses, is responsible for churches in Algiers, Oran, Constantine and Laghouat. Since Algeria attained its independence, censuses have no longer been carried out on the basis of ethnic, religious or linguistic criteria. The Algerian personality is now recognized in the wealth and diversity of its founding traditions, its particular features and its origins. The legislature constantly ensures that laws and regulations are consistent with the principle of non-discrimination. At the same time, the Algerian Government is implementing an active and voluntarist policy of support for measures aimed at combating, internationally, all forms of racial or religious discrimination.
Practices constituting racial discrimination are unknown in Algeria.
This aspect is linked to the heterogeneous character of the population. In this connection, it may be noted that the only anti-Semitic persecution recorded in Algerian history dates back to 1898 and was perpetrated by European settlers. In the past few years, however, literature imported from abroad by Islamic extremists has carried anti-Semitic ideas and is the subject of very close scrutiny pursuant to the Information Act. An inquiry ordered by the security services led to the arrest of one Algerian student who proved to be the sole author of the racist letters which sparked off the rumour. The student was expelled from university and sentenced to imprisonment.