20. In its efforts to consolidate democracy at the community level and the participation of citizens in the management of their affairs, Algeria amended its laws governing local governments, through the promulgation of new commune and wilaya laws, including: Commune Law No. 11-10 of 22 June 2011; and Wilaya Law No. 12-07 of 21 February 2012. 21. Moreover, a National Commission on Non-Muslim Faiths was established by Ordinance No. 06.03 in order to ensure respect for the free exercise of religious practice and to take into account concerns relating to its mandate. Recommendation No. 5: “Include, in the next periodic report, provisions to guarantee the enjoyment of the rights stipulated under Articles 25 and 26 of the African Charter” 22. This periodic report, in part three dealing with the implementation of provisions of the African Charter, contains the relevant measures taken by Algeria to guarantee the enjoyment of the rights stipulated under the two abovementioned articles. Recommendation No. 6: Guarantee the independence of the National Human Rights Commission and ensure its conformity with the Paris Principles” 23. The National Consultative Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (CNCPPDH), an independent institution established in 2001, is an advisory body in charge of human rights monitoring, early warning and evaluation. 24. At its establishment in 2001, the CNCPPDH was accredited with an “A” status by the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) which attests to its compliance with the Paris Principles. However, following the change of rules of procedure, the ICC Sub-Committee on Accreditation held that the CNCPPDH should re-adapt its statutes in compliance with the Paris Principles, which downgraded the Commission to a “B” status. Efforts to bring the Commission into compliance included the drafting of new statutes which was promulgated in October 2009 by Law No. 0908. In accordance with this law, Presidential Decree No. 09-263 of 30 August 2009 laid down the mandate, composition, functioning and procedure for appointing members of the National Commission. The CNCPPDH maintains constant dialogue with the ICC for the taking into account of its recommendations towards complying with the relevant international standards. Recommendation No. 7: “Guarantee the safety of human rights defenders in the exercise of their duties in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the principles enshrined in the African Charter” 25. The work of human rights defenders in Algeria is legally guaranteed under Article 33 of the Constitution which provides that “the individual and collective defence of the fundamental Rights of Man and of individual and collective liberties shall be guaranteed”. 26. Moreover, there are other specific organic and ordinary laws which include the following: -Law on public meetings and demonstrations; -Law on the legal profession which guarantees the rights of lawyers (inviolability of law firms, absolute protection of lawyer-client confidentiality, guarantee of the confidentiality of correspondences and files, protection against any insulting behaviour 8