UN alarmed over sexual violence, excessive force used on activists

THE UN voiced alarm yesterday at reports of sexual violence in detention and disproportionate use of force against protesters in Algeria, calling for investigations into all alleged abuses.

The UN human rights office said it had received numerous reports of abuses in Algeria since mass demonstrations by the Hirak pro-democracy movement resumed in February.

“We are increasingly concerned about the situation in Algeria where the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and participation in public affairs continue to be under attack,” spokesperson Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva.

“Over the past two months, activists, human rights defenders, students, journalists, bloggers and ordinary citizens peacefully expressing dissent have continued to face criminal prosecution,” he said.

The Hirak protest movement was sparked in February 2019 over president Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term in office.

The ailing autocrat was forced to step down weeks later, but the Hirak has continued its demonstrations, demanding a sweeping overhaul of a ruling system in place since Algeria’s independence from France in 1962.

Marches were suspended for around a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but protesters have returned to the streets since February 13 as the movement regains momentum.

Since then, Colville said the rights office had received “sustained reports of unnecessary and disproportionate force against peaceful protesters, as well as continuing arrests”.

Some protesters had reportedly only been released from detention after being forced to sign a document vowing to halt their participation in the demonstrations. “New allegations of physical and sexual violence in detention have also been surfacing in recent days,” Colville said.

“We urge the Algerian authorities to stop using violence to disperse peaceful demonstrations and to halt arbitrary arrests and detention …”

Colville decried that the activists were being prosecuted on the basis of overly broad laws, and called on authorities to fulfil a presidential pardon announced in February.