The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms. Mary Lawlor, expressed her deep disappointment over the continued arbitrary detention, judicial harassment, intimidation, and criminalization of human rights defenders in Algeria due to their peaceful activities under vaguely worded provisions such as "harming state security."
This comes as Alkarama continues to document numerous cases of repression and violations taking place in the country and to submit complaints regarding them to the United Nations special procedures on human rights. In a statement, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms. Mary Lawlor, highlighted the cases of several human rights defenders.
Ms. Lawlor stressed that the arrest of Mr. Toufik Bellala, Sofiane Wali, and Mr. Omar Boussaq is "no less concerning." She pointed out that Mr. Bellala was summoned for interrogation three times since April 2024 and was ultimately charged with spreading false information that could threaten state security before being released under judicial supervision.
The UN Special Rapporteur also mentioned several cases she had followed, such as that of lawyer Mr. Sofiane Wali, who was taken from his home in a violent police raid and placed in detention along with 14 others. They were charged under Article 87 bis of the Penal Code, "a vaguely worded counterterrorism provision that is often misused to suppress freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly."
The UN expert added that other restrictive provisions of the Penal Code have long been used to accuse lawyer Mr. Omar Boussaq of "inciting an unarmed gathering" and "contempt for an official body" after he published posts on Facebook.
Ms. Lawlor also drew attention to the case of the "Association of the Families of the Disappeared," an organization founded during the Algerian war of the 1990s, which has been repeatedly prevented from holding events by large police units surrounding its office in Algiers. She stated that its lawyers and members, many of whom are mothers of disappeared persons, have been mistreated and forced to leave the premises on such occasions.
The Special Rapporteur stated: "I want to reiterate that I have met almost all of these human rights defenders. None of them were in any way seeking to commit acts of violence. They all must be treated in accordance with international human rights law, which Algeria is bound to respect."
Ms. Lawlor visited Algeria more than a year ago, where she also met with several officials, but the country has seen no improvement in terms of human rights.
Alkarama’s Work
For years, Alkarama has documented numerous cases of violations and acts of repression against human rights defenders, including peaceful protest activists in the country.
Alkarama has submitted complaints before UN human rights experts, denouncing Algeria’s repeated failures to fulfill its international obligations, particularly those stipulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Algeria acceded to in 1989.