Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, criticized the Algerian government for using repressive, unconstitutional pre-Hirak laws to suppress peaceful dissent, Asharq Al Awsat reports on June 10th.
On Sunday, June 9th, the Human Rights Council in Geneva issued a report by Voule, following his visit to Algeria in September 2023:
Human rights activists and journalists continue to be arbitrarily detained and civil society associations arbitrarily dissolved or refused registration.
In January 2023, the Special Rapporteur expressed concern to the Algerian government about the prosecution of journalist Ihsane El Kadi.
Read more: Switzerland and Portugal Day: Double Celebration
In June 2023, the Algiers Court of Appeal upheld El Kadi’s conviction for receiving foreign funds for “political propaganda” and funds that could undermine state security, increasing journalist’s sentence from five to seven years.
During his visit, the Special Rapporteur reiterated concerns about El Kadi’s prosecution, which is linked to his legitimate exercise of freedom of opinion and assembly.
The report also mentioned that the Algerian government dissolved the human rights organization Rassemblement Actions Jeunesse (Youth Action Rally).
Asharq Al Awsat and agencies