Algeria should release four people who have been held for over four months for allegedly helping an activist leave the country, Human Rights Watch, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and EuroMed Rights said today.
Amira Bouraoui, a gynaecologist, fled across the Tunisian border in February this year, after being convicted for her work and being subjected to an arbitrary travel ban in 2021.
Bouraoui was part of the Hirak protest movement and has been accused of "insulting the President" and "offending Islam".
Authorities have arrested hundreds of human rights defenders, opposition figures and journalists in relation to the Hirak protest movement which held weekly, peaceful street marches for political reform in 2019 and opposed President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's decision to stand for a fifth term as president.
Bouteflika stood down and Hirak continued demonstrating, in support of a complete overhaul of the ruling system which has been in place since 1962.
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Among the people arrested in connection to Bouraoui's case are the journalist Mustapha Bendjama, the Algerian-Canadian researcher Raouf Farrah, and her cousin, Yacine Bentayeb.
Her mother Khadidja Bouraoui was also arrested and then released and placed under judicial supervision.
Bouraoui has said that she crossed the Oum Teboul border without assistance from anyone.
Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch Eric Goldstein said: "Algerian authorities are not only punishing anyone they suspect of aiding Amira Bouraoui to leave the country to escape political persecution. They've used the case to expand their repression."
"Algerian authorities' revenge frenzy following Bouraoui's departure only show how intent they are on keeping activists under their tight grip and putting lives on hold," said Amna Guellali, research director at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies.
Bouraoui was detained by Tunisian police as she boarded her flight to France in February and faced the possibility of extradition.
Her escape from Algeria sparked a diplomatic crisis between Algeria and France, with Algeria summoning its ambassador, which ended when the two countries agreed to "reinforce mutual cooperation."
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