Articles for Algeria

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." 

On November 7, 2024, Alkarama submitted the case of Mr. Tidjani AMRI, an investigative journalist, to the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC). Mr. AMRI was abducted on 27 May 2019, in Tébessa and taken to the Ben-Aknoun detention center, where he was tortured until 4 June 2019, by the military. 

In the run-up to the Algerian presidential elections on 7 September 2024, Algeria is experiencing a period of particularly severe repression, marked by a wave of arbitrary arrests of political opponents, pro-democracy activists, journalists, academics and human rights defenders.

This repression, orchestrated by the authorities, constitutes a flagrant violation of Algeria's international human rights obligations, particularly under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Alkarama recently submitted a new communication to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, denouncing the refusal of the Algerian authorities to intervene to protect Sahrawi victims of serious violations committed by Polisario agents in the camps. This time, it concerns Mr Mohamed Salem Malainine Souid, a young Sahrawi of Spanish nationality who was disappeared and tortured by the Polisario with the obvious connivance of the Algerian authorities.

Following the review of Algeria by the United Nations Human Rights Committee (HRCtte), during which Alkarama highlighted significant issues in its report, the HRC has delivered its conclusions and recommendations today. During a contradictory dialogue held on 4 and 5 July 2018 in Geneva, the Algerian delegation had the opportunity to present the government's viewpoint and respond to questions from the Committee's experts.

Alkarama has filed a complaint with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) concerning the expulsion and arbitrary detention of

On Thursday, 4 April 2024, Algerian authorities released Mr. Abderrahmane Zitout after serving the two-year prison sentence he was condemned to following an unfair trial. 

Alkarama and the International Association for the Protection of Human Rights (LIPDH) have informed the UN Human Rights Committee that Ahmed Khalil Mahmoud BRAIH - known as Ahmed BRAIH -, victim of enforced disappearance, has been detained in Blida prison in Algiers under another name assigned by the authorities for, according to his family, concealing his detention. 

On March 12, 2024, Alkarama urgently addressed the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to inform her of the abuses inflicted upon former military officer Benhalima MOHAMED AZZOUZ by members of the security services in Blida military prison (50 km south of Algiers), where he is currently held in isolation. 

Alkarama has learned that Mr. Adel Abdelmalek, a former gendarme, has been sentenced to eight years in prison by Algeria's military judiciary on fabricated charges according to the victim's family.