Advocacy / Algeria
Algeria: Detainees must be released and civic space opened
As part of the Ramadan #ReleaseThem campaign, MENA Rights Group joins local and international civil society organisations in calling on Algerian authorities to release unjustly imprisoned detainees for expressing their opinions or peacefully exercising their freedoms, and to open up civic space to civil society actors in order to ensure the unhindered exercise of their missions towards the rule of law.
Algérie : après cinq années de contestation, le rétrécissement de l’espace civique s’étend au-delà de la rive sud de la Méditerranée
Depuis cinq ans et le début du mouvement de protestation du Hirak, les défenseur·es des droits humains et les activistes font face à une répression de grande ampleur, les poussant parfois à l’exil. Dans ce contexte, MENA Rights Group et les organisations signataires expriment leur inquiétude et appellent à la fin de cette répression, exhortant les autorités algériennes à respecter les droits fondamentaux consacrés. Elles enjoignent par ailleurs les autorités françaises à mettre fin au harcèlement des militant·es présent·es sur leur territoire et à garantir la liberté d’expression.
Algeria: Reactions following the visit of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
MENA Rights Group joins 10 civil society organisations in supporting the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders marking the end of her visit to Algeria.
UN Special Rapporteur’s visit to Algeria: a renewed opportunity for reform and release of imprisoned activists
Ahead of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders' visit to Algeria, MENA Rights Group joined a coalition of civil society organisations in calling on Algerian authorities to release all human rights defenders and activists currently detained, and to end their crackdown on fundamental rights and freedoms.
Joint statement: truth and justice for the disappeared in Algeria
MENA Rights Group joins 30+ signatories (civil society organisations and relatives of the disappeared) in condemning the Algerian authorities' use of the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation as a means of impunity for those disappeared during the 1990's conflict. Furthermore, we recommend the creation of a Charter for Truth, Peace and Justice.
Universal Periodic Review: how to address the current human rights crisis in Algeria? A civil society perspective
Following the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, Algeria informed the Human Rights Council of its decision to accept 215 out of the 290 recommendations it had received. We call on Algerian authorities to implement these recommendations. We further call on Algeria to reconsider its stance on the recommendations that were merely noted, especially those pertaining to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, the prohibition of torture, counterterrorism and judiciary independence.
HRC 52: Civil society calls on Algeria to put an end to reprisals and release arbitrarily detained individuals
During the adoption of the Algeria Universal Period Review outcomes, Algerian human rights defender Kaddour Chouicha spoke directly to the Human Rights Council on behalf of MENA Rights Group, the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), CIVICUS, Euromed Rights and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. He addressed the ongoing crackdown on human rights defenders and civil society organisations.
#NotACrime: Online campaign calls on Algerian authorities to stop their assault on civic space and fundamental freedoms
#NotACrime is an online campaign aiming to draw attention to the ways in which Algerian authorities have increasingly attempted to stifle dissenting voices and independent civil society. Launched by 38 Algerian, regional and international organisations, the campaign will be conducted between 19-28 May on the organisations’ respective social media accounts.
Algeria: Spain forsakes international obligations in appalling refoulement of Algerian whistleblower
A coalition of NGOs strongly condemns the deportation by Spain of Algerian activist Mohamed Benhalima, in the evening of 24 March 2022, despite the risks of torture and serious human rights violations he faces in Algeria, and therefore in blatant violation of Spain's international obligations on non-refoulement. The authorities had been made aware, through civil society and legal appeals, that Mr Benhalima faces a high risk of torture, arbitrary detention and unfair trial in Algeria, where such violations are increasingly common against prisoners of opinion and peaceful activists.
Algeria: Unprecedented repression threatens survival of independent civil society
During the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, MENA Rights Group supported a joint oral intervention, led by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, condemning the Algerian authorities’ mounting repression of peaceful opposition and independent civil society. The organisations urged the international community to support Algerian human rights defenders who are facing imprisonment on the basis of overly broad terrorism charges.