Algerian Authorities Shut Down Key Rights Group Advocating for Disappeared
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algerian authorities have forcibly closed the Algiers office of SOS Disappeared, a human rights organization dedicated to seeking accountability for the thousands who vanished during the country’s internal armed conflict in the 1990s. The closure, ordered March 12, 2026, has drawn condemnation from Amnesty International, which called it a “devastating blow” to the pursuit of truth and justice in Algeria.
SOS Disappeared, established in 2001 as a branch of the Committee for the Families of the Disappeared in Algeria (CFDA), has long faced legal obstacles, including repeated denials of official registration. Despite operating for over two decades, the group has increasingly faced pressure from authorities since 2024. This culminated in the sealing of its Algiers office, citing its unregistered status.
“The forced closure of SOS Disappeared is a devastating blow to the fight for truth, justice and reparations in Algeria,” said Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International. “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.”
The organization has also reported escalating interference in its activities, including police preventing events at its premises in 2024, its website becoming inaccessible within Algeria in May 2025, and the denial of entry to its founder and president, Nassera Dutour, in July 2025.
Amnesty International emphasizes that international law protects both registered and unregistered groups, and that associations should not be penalized for operating without formal recognition, particularly those providing vital support to families seeking answers about their missing loved ones.
The failure to address the issue of enforced disappearances remains a painful legacy of the 1990s conflict. SOS Disappeared has been a crucial voice for families seeking closure and accountability, representing a critical, though often challenged, element of civil society in Algeria. Authorities must immediately reverse this decision and end the climate of impunity, Amnesty International stated.
