Joint letter from 8 NGOs calls on UN Human Rights Council to address Algeria’s violations

Ahead of a meeting on March 6^th of the 58^th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch along with 7 other NGOs has sent a open letter accusing Algerian authorities of “maintaining their repression of civic space through a brutal crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, leading to a steady erosion of human rights.” A report from the Special Rapporteur about human rights defenders will be examined at the session, following Ms. Lawlor’s visit to Algeria from November 25 to December 5, 2023, and her further comments in January 2025 at the “continued criminalization of human rights defenders” more than a year after her visit. Algerian authorities are currently reviewing a draft law on such associations.