Our organisations express their deep concern in the face of infringements of trade union laws in Algeria within the context of the hunger strike by the eight trade union leaders, including 6 women, of the National Federation of Justice – which has been affiliated with the SNAPAP for more than one month.
Since April, the civil servants of the justice sector have continued their mobilization to protest the refusal by the Minister of Justice to pursue complaints filed by the employees of the ministry and his refusal to talk with the federation’s representatives.
According to our information, the general strike, which was declared by the federation in April, was followed by 95% of the workers in the justice sector. The demonstrations which followed were systematically repressed by the police. The majority of workers in this sector are women and, like men, they are confronted with repression, violence from the forces of order, arrests, arbitrary suspension of employment and other acts of harassment and intimidation.
Faced with a total lack of discussion with the authorities, eight trade union leaders, including 6 women, are continuing an unlimited hunger strike whilst others are taking action to support them. During the night of June 9th, 2012, more than 50 plain-clothed policemen violently cleared the seven trade unionists who had spent three days in the street in front of Tahar Djaout publishing company in Algiers to show their solidarity with the strikers and draw the attention of public opinion with regard to their situation.
At present, our organisations are worried about the very critical state of health of the eight strikers and express their complete solidarity with the civil servants from the justice sector and the fight they are leading to assert their legitimate socio-professional rights and claims.
Our organisations request the Algerian authorities to:
- Guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of assembly for all the trade unionists and defenders of human rights in Algeria who are demanding their rights in a pacific manner;
- Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of trade unionists and defenders of human rights in Algeria;
- Respect the right to strike laid down in Convention 87 of the International Labor Organisation, which was ratified by Algeria;
- Implement the international commitments made by Algeria, in particular the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Signatory associations:
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN)
The Collective of the Families of the Disappeared in Algeria (CFDA)
The Algerian League for the defense of Human Rights (LADDH)
The National Autonomous Union of Public Administration Staff (SNAPAP)
The National Autonomous Trade Union of workers in paper processing and packaging (SNAT-FTPE)
The Network of Algerian Lawyers for the Defense of Human Rights (RADDH)
Acting for Democracy and Change in Algeria (ACDA)
The Italian Recreational and Cultural Association (ARCI)
Solidarity towards Development and Peace (SODEPAU)