The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the Algerian authorities on Friday (March 5th) to immediately end the violence against peaceful demonstrators and to stop arbitrary detentions.
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"
We are very concerned by the deterioration of the human rights situation in Algeria and by the continued and growing repression against members of the pro-democracy movement of Hirak,
" said Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for Haut- Police station during a regular UN press briefing in Geneva.
The spokesperson referred to "
credible reports
" according to which nearly a thousand people have been prosecuted for having participated in the Hirak movement or for having published messages critical of the government on social networks but also that "
at least 32 individuals are currently detained for the legitimate exercise of their fundamental rights, and some of them face long sentences, while others are still in pre-trial detention
”.
The High Commissioner also received “
allegations of torture and ill-treatment in detention, including sexual violence
”.
Therefore, he calls for an end to all use of violence against peaceful demonstrators and "
to put an end to arbitrary arrests and detentions
".
The High Commission has a whole series of demands for the Algerian government, starting with "
the immediate and unconditional release of all those arbitrarily arrested or detained for their alleged support for Hirak, and to drop all charges against them
" .
The UN agency, headed by Michelle Bachelet, also calls for "
rapid, impartial and rigorous
"
investigations
into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment in detention and urges the Algerian authorities to repeal the texts which are used to prosecute people who only express their opinion and exercise their right to peaceful assembly.
The High Commission accuses the Algerian security forces of excessive use of force.
He estimates that hundreds of people have been arrested since the protests resumed on February 13, 2021.
This situation echoes what happened in 2019 and 2020, when at least 2,500 people were arrested or detained as part of their peaceful engagement, "he said. Likewise, the criminal proceedings initiated in 2019 and 2020 against activists, human rights defenders, students, journalists, bloggers and ordinary citizens who expressed their opposition continued during the first two months of 2021, the UN institution still notes.
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