Ali Mammeri Jailed on Terrorism Charges over Human Rights Group Initiative

The case of trade unionist Ali Mammeri will be brought before the Indictment Chamber of the Oum El Bouaghi Court tomorrow, Tuesday, to examine the decision of the Investigating Judge, who recently concluded his inquiry and confirmed the criminal charges against Mammeri — foremost among them, the charge of advocacy of terrorism. His lawyer has formally appealed the decision through a written submission.

According to statements made by Ali Mammeri’s family to the COSYFOP website, the Investigating Judge of the Second Chamber of the Oum El Bouaghi Court has brought forward serious and unprecedented charges in Algeria, including the attempt to establish a trade union with a human rights mandate. The judge has classified this act as a criminal offense and a future attempt to overthrow the constitutional order, in a troubling precedent that raises serious concerns regarding the right to independent trade union organization.

The main charge brought against him — advocacy of terrorism — is based on private messages exchanged via Facebook and TikTok between Mammeri and several individuals, including the online influencer Seghlab Sid Ahmed. The Investigating Judge described these individuals as “saboteurs and terrorists,” without citing any legal basis or final judicial ruling that formally classifies them as such. Moreover, the judge ignored a fundamental legal element of this charge: the requirement of public incitement. All messages used as evidence were exchanged privately between Ali Mammeri and the individuals deemed “saboteurs” by the judge, and none of the content was ever made public through any channel.

In this context, Mr. Raouf Mellal, President of the Trade Union Confederation of Productive Forces (COSYFOP), stated:

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““The charges brought against unionist Ali Mammeri are clearly fabricated,” stated Raouf Mellal. “The Investigating Judge relied uncritically on police reports, despite having been formally notified of a torture complaint filed against the same security services — a complaint that has yet to prompt any serious investigation. Even more troubling is the judge’s use of those same police conclusions to justify reclassifying the founding of a human rights-focused trade union as an act of terrorism or an attempt to overthrow the government. This dangerous distortion of the law sends a clear message: in Algeria today, both union activism and human rights work are under existential threat.”“

—Mellal Raouf

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This excessive legal recharacterization and the attempt to criminalize trade union and human rights activities have drawn strong condemnation from several international organizations. The Trade Union Confederation of Productive Forces (COSYFOP), the Justitia Center for Human Rights, and MENA Rights Group have formally submitted communications to UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and human rights defenders, detailing the circumstances of Ali Mammeri’s arrest, the charges brought against him, and the procedural violations that have marred his case.

This case unfolds within a broader context of escalating repression against trade union freedoms in Algeria. Independent unions and international human rights organizations have sounded the alarm, warning of a dangerous shift toward the criminalization of trade union activity, increasingly framed by the authorities as a national security threat.

All eyes are now on tomorrow’s hearing, as the Indictment Chamber is expected to rule either in favor of the Investigating Judge’s decision or to dismiss the unfounded and disproportionate charges—a ruling that will have serious implications for the future of trade unionism and human rights advocacy in the country.