In response to the Algerian police sealing the Algiers office of SOS Disappeared, a human rights organization advocating for accountability for the thousands forcibly disappeared in the 1990s conflict, on 16 March 2026, Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International said:
“The forced closure of SOS Disappeared is a devastating blow to the fight for truth, justice and reparations in Algeria. By sealing the offices of the main organization advocating for accountability for enforced disappearances -an ongoing crime under international law- Algerian authorities are once again using the draconian Law 12-06 to stifle human rights work. While the Algerian authorities have tolerated the presence of SOS Disappeared in Algiers for over two decades, since 2024 they intensified their crackdown on the organization.
The forced closure of SOS Disappeared is a devastating blow to the fight for truth, justice and reparations in Algeria.
Diana Eltahawy, MENA Deputy Regional Director
“Under international law, the right to freedom of association protects both registered and unregistered groups, and no association should be sanctioned or shuttered for operating without formal recognition, especially one that provides the only glimmer of hope for families seeking answers and accountability for the thousands who vanished after being taken by security forces or militias during the 1990s internal armed conflict. The authorities must immediately reverse this decision and end the climate of blanket impunity that has left relatives in mental anguish and distress.”
Background
SOS Disappeared was established in 2001 in Algiers as a branch of the Committee for the Families of the Disappeared in Algeria (CFDA), an association founded in France in 1999 by mothers seeking justice for their loved ones who were subjected to enforced disappearance during Algeria’s internal armed conflict in the 1990s. The failure to provide accountability for the thousands of people forcibly disappeared during the conflict is an enduring and agonizing legacy of the conflict.
As one of the main organizations advocating for truth and justice regarding the internal armed conflict, SOS Disappeared has faced persistent legal hurdles, with Algerian authorities denying their registration since their operations began. The current closure, ordered by the governorate of Algiers on 12 March 2026 on the grounds that it was unregistered. It follows two incidents in 2024 where police prevented them from organizing events at their premises. In May 2025, the organization’s website became inaccessible in Algeria. In July 2025, police arbitrarily denied the organization’s founder and president Nassera Dutour entry to Algeria
The use of Law 12-06 to close the association’s office violates international human rights law and standards, which provide that an association does not require formal registration to be protected. Instead of forcibly closing the office of SOS Disappeared, the Algerian authorities should uphold freedom of association and create a safe and enabling environment for NGOs.
