Condemnation of Arbitrary Closure
The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights (OMDH) has strongly condemned the Algerian government's recent decision to shutter the headquarters of the Association of Families of the Disappeared in Algeria, known as SOS Disparus. This action is characterized by the OMDH as part of a broader and systematic harassment policy directed at the families of victims of enforced disappearances and those advocating for human rights. In a formal statement, the OMDH described this closure as arbitrary, emphasizing that it specifically targets the peaceful initiatives of families who are tirelessly working to uncover the fates of their loved ones who disappeared during Algeria's turbulent 1990s.
Call for International Intervention
Furthermore, the organization has pointed out the troubling timing of this closure, occurring shortly after the president of SOS Disparus, Nassera Dutour, was denied entry into Algeria nearly two months ago. This sequence of events is viewed by the OMDH as an escalation of pressure on individuals dedicated to addressing this sensitive and critical issue. In response to these alarming developments, the OMDH is urging relevant United Nations bodies, including the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, to take immediate action by engaging with Algerian authorities. The aim of this intervention is to ensure the association's right to operate freely while continuing its vital advocacy for the families of the disappeared. SOS Disparus has been actively documenting the cases of thousands of individuals who went missing during the 1990s, with estimates indicating that over 20,000 people remain unaccounted for, their fates still enveloped in uncertainty.
As reported by en.yabiladi.com.
