What changed

B100093/2025

B100087/2025

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,

– having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the Algerian authorities implemented the so called “anti-terrorism” legislation in 2021 and have been suppressing democratic values and human rights ever since; whereas the Algerian people have faced systematic repression on unjustified bases; whereas the peaceful civil movement Hirak was forced to shut down by Algerian authorities;

A. whereas Boualem Sansal, a 75-year-old French-Algerian novelist, was arrested in November 2024 at Algiers airport and charged with "endangering the nation" under Article 87bis of Algeria’s Penal Code, which has also been used to prosecute many Algerian prisoners of opinion including journalists, activists, and human rights defenders;

B. whereas the systematic crackdown on democratic values and human rights conducted by Algerian authorities has weakened the civil society as freedom of expression, religion, and the press are in decline; whereas Abdelmadjid Tebboune was re-elected in 2024 and the human rights situation remains elusive; whereas recent arrests and criminal charges illustrate the fact that prisoners of conscience are in a hopeless situation;

B. whereas Algerian authorities may have arrested Sansal in reaction to his public expression of opinions, which are considered protected speech according to international human rights law and should not be criminalized;

C. whereas the powerlessness of the judicial system and the intervention of the executive branch of the judiciary has ledaccording to unfair trials;Algerian whereashuman thererights aredefenders, currentlyat overleast 215214 activists, journalistsjournalists, and defenders incarceratedare imprisoned for exercising their human rights; whereas religious minorities have also faced discrimination and repression;

D. whereas Boualem Sansal was arrested on 16th of November 2024 and has been imprisoned ever since; whereas Sansal has been hospitalized several times; whereas Sansal’s health is constantly deteriorating; whereas Sansal is being falsely accused of “undermining the integrity of national territory” which equates to terrorism under Article 87 of the Algerian penal code; whereas if found guilty, Sansal faces a life sentence;

1. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release and acquittal of Boualem Sansal and all other activists, journalists, human rights defenders and individuals detained or sentenced for exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression, including Abdelwakil Blamm and Tadjadit Mohamed;

1. Strongly condemns the unjust imprisonment of Boualem Sansal, as well as all other dissident voices to the current government, either imprisoned, detained or facing constructed legal charges;

2. Reiterates the European Parliament´s grave concern about the trend of increasing repression of peaceful dissent inside and outside of Algeria’s borders, causing the weakening or disappearance of critical civil society organizations and the harassment of dissenting voices;

2. Demands that Algerian authorities release Boualem Sansal immediately and unconditionally, as well as all others detained or imprisoned for exercising their freedoms and democratic rights, and to drop all charges against them;

3. Express the European Parliament's solidarity with Algerians who have been peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly, advocating for democracy, civilian governance, popular sovereignty, the rule of law, social justice, and gender equality;

3. Denounces the degradation of the rule of law, human rights and freedom of speech in Algeria and urges the authorities to repeal all repressive legislation and ensure the judiciary’s independence;

4. Reminds Algeria of its commitments made by ratifying international human rights treaties and conventions, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), that protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression; highlights that these values that are also at the core of the relations between the European Union and Algeria, as reflected in the EU-Algeria Association Agreement;

4. Demands that Algerian authorities stop all ongoing human rights violations related to freedom of expression, religion, speech, and press;

5. Urges the Algerian authorities to end reprisals, intimidation, and interference by executive authorities against lawyers and judiciary members handling cases of individuals detained for exercising their rights to freedom of association, expression, peaceful assembly, and belief;

5. Demands that the right to freedom of religion be fully restored through recognizing the Ahmadiyya communities and granting them the ability to register as a religious association as well as reopening all EPA churches that were closed and renewing their registration as an association;

6. Welcomes the speech of HR/VP Borrell from 27 November 2024, calling for the release of Boualem Sansal and calls on all EU institutions and Member States to strongly and openly condemn the Algerian authorities’ crackdown on the freedom of expression;

6. Calls on the EEAS to monitor the human rights violations in Algeria as well as the possible trial of Boualem Sansal;

7. Calls on the European Commission and EU Member States to increase their efforts to raise all individual cases with the Algerian authorities on the bilateral, multilateral and EU levels and to increase support to human rights defenders, democracy activists and journalists;

7. Highlights the need to protect civil society organizations and preserve press freedom;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, and the Government and Parliament of Algeria, and asks that it be translated into Arabic;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Algerian government.