In a letter to the Algerian authorities, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association, and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism drew attention to the trial of journalist Ihsane El Kadi, director of the Algerian radio station Radio M and the news website Maghreb Emergent.
They expressed concern that fair trial standards were violated in El Kadi’s arrest and detention, including his right of access to a lawyer and his right to be informed of the charges against him and the reasons for his arrest.
“We are also concerned about the ambiguous legal basis for the charges against Mr. El Kadi and the police search of the two independent media outlets, and the fact that the legal action appears to be linked to their journalistic activities,” the rapporteurs added.
The UN experts also said they were “alarmed” by the de facto silencing of a critical journalist and the search of two independent media outlets, which have a negative impact on press freedom in Algeria.
“We are deeply concerned about the misuse of security measures in what appear to be disproportionate and unnecessary ways, primarily to prevent expression by the media and thus limit the wider participation of society in political affairs,” they said.
In addition, the rapporteurs expressed particular concern about “the broader significance and negative implications of the situation of Mr. El Kadi, Radio M, and Maghreb Émergent for freedom of expression and media freedom in Algeria,” lamenting, among other things, the effect they can have on individuals, including journalists, media workers, and human rights defenders, who wish to express themselves, demonstrate peacefully, and participate in public and political life in Algeria.
The correspondence therefore urges the Algerian authorities to provide information on the legal and factual grounds for the arrest, detention, and charges against El Kadi, and to explain how these comply with their obligations under international human rights law.
The rapporteurs also called on Algiers to provide information on the legal and factual grounds for the search of the two media outlets Radio M and Maghreb Émergent and to explain what measures have been taken to ensure that journalists and media workers in Algeria are able to exercise their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and to engage freely in journalistic work without fear of reprisal, prosecution or criminalization of any kind.
