What changed

B100091/2025

B100089/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the case of Boualem Sansal in Algeria

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Algeria, including its latest of 11 May 2023,

– having regard to Rulethe 150EU-Algeria ofAssociation itsAgreement Rulesand ofto Procedure,the EU-Algeria partnership priorities,

A. whereas French-Algerian writer and vocal critic of the Algerian Government Boualem Sansal, 75 and seriously ill, has been arbitrarily detained by Algerian authorities since mid-November 2024 and hospitalised since mid-December;

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),

B. whereas freedom of expression has severely deteriorated, with Algeria falling to 139th in the 2024 Press Freedom Index; whereas journalists have been under rising pressure, often prosecuted and detained; whereas at least 215 people are detained in Algeria as prisoners of opinion according to Algerian human rights defenders; whereas broad dispositions in the penal code, notably article 87bis, have been used to quell freedom of speech under the pretext of fighting terrorism; as well as censorship notably by banning French-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud's recent book on political grounds;

– having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

C. whereas independent journalist Abdelwakil Blamm has been detained on bogus charges since December 29, 2024; whereas poet and human rights defender Tajadit Mohamed has also been detained since 16 January 2025; whereas journalist Ihsanne El Kadi was released in October 2024 after 22 months in prison;

A. whereas Boualem Sansal, a French-Algerian author, publicly took robust stances against authoritarianism and in favour of the freedom of expression in Algeria; whereas he was taken into custody in Algiers since 16 November 2024 on charges of undermining the integrity of the national territory; whereas this charge is considered as an act of terrorism under article 87 bis of the Algerian penal code; whereas he faces life imprisonment if found guilty of these charges;

D. whereas, in the past years, rights and freedoms have persistently degraded beyond freedom of expression, including freedom of assembly and association, and the right to strike; whereas Algeria’s leading human rights organisation has been dissolved;

B. whereas Algeria is a Party to the UDHR; whereas Algeria is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the period 2023-2025; whereas Algeria committed respecting and promoting the freedom of expression in full compliance with its international obligations and its Constitution; whereas Algeria modified in 2024 provisions of its penal code with the aim to further restrict the freedom of expression;

1. calls on Algerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release writer Boualem Sansal and all those arbitrarily detained for expressing their opinion, including independent journalist Abdelwakil Blamm and poet and human rights defender Tajadit Mohamed; calls on authorities to amend the security-related clauses of its penal code, including articles 95bis and 196bis, to protect freedom of the press as enshrined in article 54 of Algeria’s Constitution;

C. whereas since the 2019 Hirak protests, Algeria’s authorities have substantially clamped down on freedom of expression and media freedom; whereas Algerian Human Rights activists, defenders and journalists are imprisoned for exercising their rights;

2. condemns the continued detention of at least 215 prisoners of opinion for taking part in Algeria’s “Hirak” protest movement, or for sharing the hashtag “#Iamnotsatisfied” online or for publishing critical posts on social media;

1. Calls on Algerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Boualem Sansal and all those detained and charged for exercising their rights to freedom of expression or opinion, including Tadjadit Mohamed;

3. deplores the lack of independent, free media in Algeria; recalls the essential role played by a strong, independent and pluralist press within any democratic society; calls on Algerian authorities to allow foreign journalists to freely operate in Algeria;

2. Calls on the Algerian authorities to close the case and drop the charges against Boualem Sansal and the Algerian journalists, including Abdelwakil Blamm, human rights defenders and peaceful activists facing threat, judicial harassment and prosecution for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and media freedoms;

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5. calls on Algerian authorities to end intimidation and interference in the work of lawyers and members of the judiciary dealing with cases of persons detained for exercising their rights to freedom of association, expression, peaceful assembly and belief;

4. Urges the Algerian authorities to review all repressive laws aiming at restricting the freedoms, in particular the Article 87bis of Algeria’s Penal Code, and the judiciary’s independence;

6. expresses its concern over the new political party reform which could end the multi-party system;

5. Calls on the Algerian authorities to guarantee to the civil society organisations the freedom to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without undue restriction and fear of reprisal;

7. instructs its President to translate this resolution into Arabic and forward it to Algeria’s Parliament and Government.

6. Urge the EU Institutions and the EU Delegation to publicly share their concerns and raise the case of Boualem Sansal and all those arbitrarily detained with the Algerian authorities; urges the EU Institutions to increase their support to human rights defenders, democracy activists and journalists;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Algerian Authorities, the Commission, the VP/HR and the Member States.