Numerous NGOs gathered in Geneva to urge the international community to compel Algeria to uphold the fundamental rights of individuals held in the Tindouf camps. This call to action coincided with the general debate surrounding the annual report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, held during the 57th ordinary session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), presided over by Morocco.
During an interactive session that welcomed contributions from civil society, the NGOs highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in the Tindouf camps, where residents face severe violations of their basic rights. They specifically pointed to the systematic misappropriation of aid by the Polisario leadership, which they alleged is being facilitated by the Algerian army’s blockade of the camps, effectively trapping the population inside.
The testimonies presented underscored the harsh realities imposed on young activists willing to speak out against these abuses on social media, often at great personal risk. Reports of kidnappings, arbitrary disappearances, and torture were alarmingly common, exacerbated by an acute shortage of food. Some individuals, driven by desperation, have resorted to joining armed groups in the Sahel to provide for their families, as articulated by NGOs such as the African Network for the Development of Governance and Human Rights and the International Committee for the Respect and Application of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
The NGOs issued a resolute plea for international pressure on Algeria to meet its obligations as a host country and to ensure the protection of those detained in the camps. They demanded an end to the ongoing abuses and the initiation of judicial inquiries into these matters.
Additionally, they condemned the practice of enforced disappearances within the Tindouf camps, asserting that separatists employ such tactics to instill fear and silence dissent among the population.
The annual report on global human rights remains a central topic during the HRC’s ongoing session, which is set to continue until October 11 and is currently being chaired by Ambassador Omar Zniber, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva and serving as the President of the HRC for 2024.
