Algiers was requested by the United States to stop “harassing journalists and rights defenders” during its universal periodic examination to the human rights council.
by Madjid Zerrouky and Mustapha Kessous
Friday, November 11, Algeria suffered criticism from the United States but also of the United Kingdom or Germany during its universal periodic examination (EPU) in the Human Rights Council (CDH) in Geneva, where The situation of UN states is evaluated every four or five years.
CDH observations are not binding; The body is content to remind States their responsibility to respect and implement human rights and fundamental freedoms. Algiers has nevertheless seen himself claimed by the American representative to repeal the amendments of article 87 bis of the penal code which “contain an exaggeratedly large definition of terrorism”, and to release “journalists, human rights defenders and those who are held under this provision “.
The country has some 250 opinion prisoners, often accused of terrorism. These amendments adopted in June 2021 now equate “terrorism” or “sabotage” any call to “change the governance system by unconventional means”.
Algiers was also asked to “stop harassing journalists and human rights and to withdraw accusations of national unity attack”. The United Kingdom and Germany have called on the country to guarantee freedom of expression and to end discrimination targeting women. France has just invited Algeria to sign international protocols linked in particular to domestic violence.
“lock up all free voices”
If Algeria has welcomed the “progress” which it says that it made in matters of individual and collective freedoms, it had nevertheless tried to hinder the expression of critical voices in anticipation of this examination. On September 12, the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to the freedom of peaceful meeting and the freedom of association was postponed to 2023 “at the request of the Algerian government, announced a few days earlier Said Salhi , Vice-president of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LADDH). This is the eighth postponement of this visit since 2011. For us, it is a refusal. “
Furthermore, on August 24, Kaddour Chouicha and Djalima Ioukil, both members of the Laddh, were retained by the border police while they were about to take a plane in Oran. Djamila Ioukil was to intervene in Geneva during a preparatory session for the examination of Algeria in November. Both also participated in the drafting of the “Algerian civil and regional coalition report”, co -prone by eight human rights associations, women’s rights and unions before the UN body.
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