Ongoing detention of Ameen Fiddah
The arbitrary detention of human rights defender Ameen Fiddah continues following his arrest over a week ago. He faces charges in relation to Facebook posts criticizing mass killings by the Algerian military.
The arbitrary detention of human rights defender Ameen Fiddah continues following his arrest over a week ago. He faces charges in relation to Facebook posts criticizing mass killings by the Algerian military.
The arbitrary detention of human rights defender Ameen Fiddah continues following his arrest over one week ago. He faces charges in relation to Facebook posts criticizing mass killings by the Algerian military.
On 13 January 2018 Ameen Fiddah received a summons from the military and security forces of Sougueur. The human rights defender was interrogated at Sougueur gendarmerie (military barracks) the following day about his activities and posts on Facebook. It was alleged that the human rights defender criticized the government and put forth allegations implicating the army in mass killings against civilians in the 1990s.
On 14 January 2018, public prosecutors of Sougueur accused the human rights defender of “attacking the army’s morale” and “inciting against national unity”. The human rights defender is currently held in Tiaret central prison pending investigation.
Front Line Defenders condemns the arrest and arbitrary detention of human rights defender Ameen Fiddah and calls for his immediate release.
Front Line Defenders calls upon the Algerian authorities to:
1. Immediately drop all charges against human rights defender Ameen Fiddah as it is believed that they are solely motivated by his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights;
2. Immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Ameen Fiddah;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Algeria are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
