SHOAA for Human Rights expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation of the Algerian authorities’ decision, on Sunday, January 18, 2026, to hand over Mr. Seifeddine Makhlouf, lawyer and former member of the Tunisian Parliament, to the Tunisian authorities. This action constitutes a flagrant and deliberate violation of Algeria’s international obligations, despite Mr. Makhlouf holding the status of asylum seeker after formally applying for international protection with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – Algeria office on July 18, 2024.
SHOAA recalls that Mr. Makhlouf fled to Algeria to escape politically motivated legal persecution, as documented and confirmed by the Human Rights Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The organization considers this measure a clear disregard for the principles of asylum and protection, and a serious breach of Algeria’s international commitments.
SHOAA notes with grave concern that the handover occurred after Mr. Makhlouf had been detained at the Sidi El-Houari Administrative Detention Center in Oran since October 2024, under conditions that violate international standards. During his detention, he was deprived of fundamental rights guaranteed to asylum seekers, particularly the right to communicate freely and regularly with the UNHCR office to continue the processing of his asylum application—a situation amounting to arbitrary detention.
SHOAA further highlights the serious nature of the authorities’ action in misleading Mr. Makhlouf into attending an official UNHCR appointment in Algiers on January 15, 2026, only to execute his deportation—a practice completely inconsistent with the principle of good faith and indicative of procedural manipulation and misuse of authority in dealing with international protection seekers.
SHOAA affirms that this constitutes a grave violation of the principle of non-refoulement and a direct endangerment of an individual to the risk of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, in blatant violation of the Convention Against Torture ratified by Algeria, and a serious breach of its obligations under the international human rights framework. This makes the handover a flagrant violation of the UN Refugee Convention and undermines Algeria’s credibility in claiming to respect its international commitments.
Based on the above, SHOAA for Human Rights:
- Strongly condemns the handover of Mr. Seifeddine Makhlouf and holds the Algerian authorities fully responsible for the legal and political consequences of this act.
- Demands the immediate and public disclosure of the legal and procedural basis for this handover, and accountability for all individuals involved in this serious violation.
- Calls for the full protection of Mr. Makhlouf’s safety, the safeguarding of all his rights, and the provision of all guarantees for a fair trial, in accordance with international standards.
SHOAA reiterates that the principle of non-refoulement is an absolute and inviolable commitment, and any breach constitutes a direct attack on human dignity, a serious undermining of the human rights protection system, and a blow to the credibility of states before the international community.
