The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN), the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), the Collective of Families of Missing people in Algeria (CFDA), the National Autonomous Union of Public Administration Staff (SNAPAP) and the National Autonomous Trade Union of workers in paper processing and packaging (SNAT-FTPE) condemn the intensification of acts of judicial harassment against activists and human rights defenders in Algeria and express their solidarity with those who suffer repression by the authorities for claiming their rights to expression and peaceful protests.
Our organisations have been informed about the summons to appear today at 13.30, before the Court of Bab el Oued in Algiers, of four human rights defenders and activists : Yacine Zaid, trade unionist and president of the Laghouat section of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LADDH), Bendjoudi Abdou, one of the leaders of the Independent Youth Movement for Change (MJIC), Lakhdar Bouzini, member of the National Autonomous Union of Public Administration Staff (SNAPAP), Aouameur Othman, a member of the Defense of Freedom and Dignity Network (RDLD). The four youngsters are charged for “inciting unarmed gathering” under Article 100 of the Criminal Code.
The facts for which they are charged occurred on April 26, 2012, when the police had arrested two dozen people, including Yacine Zaid, Abdou Bendjoudi, Lakhdar Bouzini Aouameur and Othman, holding a peaceful sit-in in front the Court of Sidi M’hamed to denounce the judicial harassment suffered by Abdelkader Kherba, a member of the National Committee for the Rights of the Unemployed (CNDDC) and the LADDH. Being retained at the police station – located at Place des Martyrs – Yacine Zaid, Abdou Bendjoudi, Lakhdar Bouzini and Othmane Aouameur were questioned about the reasons for their activism before being released at the end of the day without any charges having been made against them. Their summons has been notified only a month and a half later, on June 13.
Our organisations express their deep concern over the intensification of arbitrary judicial proceedings aiming to penalize the free exercise of the right to peaceful human rights assemblies and to break all forms of solidarity within the emerging independent civil society. In addition, our organisations deplore the conviction handed down on May 3, 2012, by the Court of Sidi M’hamed to 1 year suspended sentence and 20.000 dinars (200 euros) fine against Abdelkader Kherba. His appeal hearing is scheduled for July 8 before the Court of Algiers.
At a time when Algeria’s review by the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) just ended, the intensification of acts of judicial harassment, in violation of the Algerian constitution and international commitments undertaken by Algeria, merely highlights the dangerous gap between practice and the official discourse internationally defending positive results in terms of fundamental freedoms.
Our organisations call on the Algerian authorities to act urgently to :
- Ensure in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Yacine Zaid, Abdou Bendjoudi, Lakhdar Bouzini, Othmane Aouameur and Abdelkader Kherba as well as all Algerian activists, human rights defenders and trade unionists ;
- End all forms of harassment, including judicial harassment, against Yacine Zaid, Abdou Bendjoudi, Lakhdar Bouzini, Othmane Aouameur and Abdelkader Kherba and all Algerian activists and human rights defenders, so they can conduct freely their peaceful activities without any obstacle ;
- Comply with the provisions of the Declaration on human rights defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, and specifically:
– Article 1 which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”,
– Article 12.2, which states that ” The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration ” ;
- Ensure freedom of expression and demonstration for all trade unionists and human rights defenders in Algeria who claim their rights peacefully, as enshrined in the Algerian Constitution in articles 33 and 41 and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by Algeria.
Finally, we urge the EU and its member states to implement the EU guidelines on human rights defenders and to provide highly visible support to human rights defenders on an urgent basis, in particular by attending their trials.