🗓️ Published on: 31/10/2025
The Trade Union Confederation of Productive Forces (COSYFOP) denounced the verdict issued on 29 October 2025 by the Oum El Bouaghi Court, sentencing Algerian trade unionist Ali Mammeri — President of the National Union of Culture Workers (SNFC) — to 15 years in prison, on charges related to “apology of terrorism”.
This sentence follows more than seven months of arbitrary detention, including several days of incommunicado custody during which he reported being subjected to ill-treatment and torture.
COSYFOP underscores that all charges brought against Ali Mammeri stem solely from his peaceful trade union activities, including:
- his communication with human rights defenders and dissidents residing abroad, as well as providing Complaint before the International Labour Organization.
- and his attempt to establish a trade union committee dedicated to defending fundamental rights and freedoms in Algeria.
The Confederation affirms that these accusations are baseless and lack any legal or factual foundation, and that their aim is to criminalize independent trade union activity and intimidate all workers who defend the rights to freedom of expression and organization.
COSYFOP also warned that this conviction sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the future of independent trade unions in Algeria and reveals an official tendency to silence critical voices.
According to the defense lawyer, the appeal hearing will be scheduled during December 2025, which calls for urgent and broad action by trade union and human rights organizations locally and internationally, to pressure for the annulment of this unjust ruling and the immediate release of Ali Maamari.
The Confederation stresses that trade union activism is not a crime, and that trade unionists belong among workers, not behind bars. It affirms that it will remain true to its principles, regardless of the difficulties and risks faced by trade unionists in the so-called “new Algeria.”
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