As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, SHOAA for Human Rights urges the Algerian authorities to release all prisoners of conscience under the annual pardoning for Ramadan this month.
Hundreds of “prisoners of conscience” remain imprisoned in Algeria for their peaceful protests that have swept across Algeria since February 2019.
Many protesters are being held in pre-trial detention for long periods of time, while others have been sentenced to prison terms on vague and trumped-up charges.
Prisoners of conscience, political detainees, and those who remain indefinitely detained should be the primary candidates of those deemed to be released, given the unjust nature of their imprisonment.
Around 300 political and social dissidents, who were arrested solely on the basis of their endeavours to speak out about human rights and fundamental freedoms, remain behind bars, where they are forced to endure appalling detention conditions serving grossly long sentences.
SHOAA for Human Rights calls on the Algerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release at least 300 activists opposed to the authority in situations ranging from arrest to imprisonment, for their participation in peaceful demonstrations, taking advantage of the symbolism of Ramadan.
