Statement by SHOAA for Human Rights on the Summoning of the Human Rights and Political Activist Abdallah Benaoum to Appear Before the Specialized Anti-Terrorism Court in Algiers
On Friday, April 15, 2022, human rights, and political activist Abdallah Benaoum received an unexpected summons to appear before the investigative judge at the Sidi M’hamed Court, Chamber Five, Anti-Terrorism Department in Algiers on April 18, 2022.
The summons of the human rights and political activist Abdallah Benaoum comes two months after his release on February 03, 2022. Where he spent 26 months in prison, under parole procedures, and after entering a 154-day hunger strike. He was followed by several charges, including insulting a regular body, underestimating judicial rulings, possession and publication of videos with the aim of weakening the morale of the army, compromising the security of the state and the unity and safety of the homeland, and inciting a gathering.
SHOAA for Human Rights:
We, SHOAA for Human Rights, are both alarmed and shocked that the human rights and political activist Abdallah Benaoum has been resummoned once again to reappear in court, this time before the anti-terrorist court. SHOAA for Human Rights condemns the Algerian authorities’ continued use of broad anti-terrorism law as a tool of repression and silencing civil society.
We, SHOAA for Human Rights call on the Algerian authority to cease from using the judiciary and broad anti-terrorism law as a tool of repression and silencing civil society. Furthermore, SHOAA would like to remind the Algeria authority of its international commitments, and covenants ratified by Algeria. Covenants to protect human rights defenders, journalists, and peaceful political opposition.
We, SHOAA for Human Rights on all international organizations to condemn the misuse of counterterrorism legislation, and call for the dropping of all baseless terrorism charges against organizations, human rights defenders, journalists and the peaceful political opposition. While pressing for the release of those arbitrarily detained for expressing their views.
