Amnesty International’s 2025 report highlights the administrative obstacles faced by the Confederation of Productive Forces Trade Unions (COSYFOP) in Algeria.

In its 2025 annual report on events in 2024, Amnesty International highlighted the continued restrictions on trade union freedoms in Algeria and spoke of the administrative obstacles facing independent unions, including the Confederation of Trade Unions of Productive Forces (COSYFOP), despite their recognized legal status.

The report indicated that the Algerian authorities continued to impose bureaucratic and administrative obstacles that obstruct the legitimate activity of independent unions, limiting their ability to effectively represent workers and defend their rights. COSYFOP was cited as one prominent example of these practices, reflecting the extent of the restrictions faced by unions disloyal to the authorities.

The report also highlighted the use of terrorism charges to criminalize peaceful activism, including in the trade union sphere. In this context, the Confederation recalls that among the victims of these practices is Hamza Kharoubi, president of the Algerian Industrial Confederation, a member of the Confederation, who faces serious legal prosecution for his union activism. This precedent reflects a disturbing trend toward the use of anti-terrorism laws to suppress independent voices.

On the other hand, the report referred to travel bans imposed administratively on some trade unionists, human rights defenders, and journalists. Based on this axis, the Confederation believes it is necessary to draw attention to the case of trade union activist Amin Falih, whose name is not mentioned in the report, but who represents a stark example of these violations. He was previously banned from leaving Algeria by a vague administrative decision, and was later arrested and placed under judicial supervision as an official mechanism to prevent him from traveling and freely exercising his activities.

These indications in a prestigious international report confirm that the Confederation of Productive Forces Trade Unions, despite being legally registered, is prevented from freely exercising its trade union activities due to the administrative and judicial restrictions it and its activists face, in clear violation of international conventions that guarantee freedom of organization and trade union activity, most notably International Labour Organization Convention No. 87.

The Confederation reiterates its rejection of these repressive policies and calls on the Algerian authorities to lift all administrative and judicial obstacles that impede the activity of independent unions and target their leaders, enabling them to operate in a free and democratic environment, ensuring true representation of the working class.

COSYFOP also appreciates Amnesty International's attention to these violations and calls on all international partners to continue monitoring and documenting the restrictions imposed on independent unions in Algeria and to work to protect the freedom of association as a fundamental pillar of democracy and social justice.

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