SHOAA for Human Rights announces the launch of a campaign calling for the release of prisoners of conscience in Algeria, under the title “Free the Voices of Freedom.” The campaign runs from 5 to 10 December 2025, coinciding with Human Rights Day—a day that embodies the universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality, and the rule of law, and reaffirms the need to protect voices demanding freedom and justice, and to confront all attempts to suppress and silence dissent.
This campaign comes at a time of a persistent decline in fundamental freedoms in Algeria, where authorities have intensified efforts to silence independent voices. Human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and opposition figures are increasingly targeted, despite their peaceful efforts to advocate for democratic change and the protection of fundamental rights.
A large number of individuals in Algeria are being prosecuted solely for their peaceful opinions or legitimate activities. Many have been arrested and convicted on serious and fabricated charges, lacking any legal basis, through trials that fall short of basic standards of justice and fairness. It is worth recalling that more than 230 prisoners of conscience remain behind bars today because of their peaceful expression or human rights work—an egregious violation of their fundamental rights and of Algeria’s international obligations.
The suffering does not fall on the detainees alone; its heavy shadows extend to their families, who endure severe psychological, social, and economic burdens. They face daily anxiety and constant fear for the fate of their loved ones. The suffering of these families reflects a deeply concerning human dimension, revealing the profound impact of arbitrary detention on the right to family life and social stability. This ongoing pain serves as a stark reminder of the widening circle of injustice.
The Free the Voices of Freedom campaign seeks to push for the unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience, to shed light on the human rights situation in Algeria and the troubling violations occurring, and to expose systematic practices that undermine fundamental rights and freedoms. The campaign also aims to raise national and international awareness about the dangers of expanding criminalization and the misuse of the law to suppress peaceful expression. Furthermore, it seeks to protect human rights defenders, journalists, and activists from arbitrary prosecution, while emphasizing that freedom of opinion and expression is an inherent right guaranteed constitutionally and internationally, and cannot be undermined or criminalized by any authority.
The period from 5 to 10 December will be a renewed call to reclaim the space of freedom, and a reaffirmation that rights are won through determination, and that all attempts to silence voices demanding liberty will fail, no matter how harsh the restrictions.
SHOAA for Human Rights calls on all activists, organizations, journalists, and all those concerned with rights and freedoms to join this campaign, support its efforts, and help amplify its message so that no free voice remains behind bars.
Freedom for all prisoners of conscience.
Free the voices of freedom.
