The Algerian authorities continue their crackdown on independent trade unions

The National Autonomous Council of Teaching Staff for the Three Levels of Education (CNAPESTE) is facing dissolution proceedings initiated by the Algerian Ministry of Labour, which referred the matter to the Administrative Court on 9 March.

In a statement dated 18 April, the CNAPESTE states in particular that “this action was initiated on the pretext of ‘failure to comply with Law No. 23-02’, even though it has ‘fulfilled all its procedural obligations’; of a lack of representation, even though no decision has been taken on the procedures for implementing the elements of representation; non-compliance with court rulings, even though these had not been notified through official channels”. The union also mentions the “administrative pressure” to which the “national coordinator is being subjected”, such pressure against representatives of autonomous trade unions being far from rare, as experienced by comrades from the SNAPAP (National Autonomous Union of Public Administration Staff) and the SESS (Solidarity Union of Higher Education Teachers), members of the CGATA (General Autonomous Confederation of Workers in Algeria).

The crackdown that followed the widespread, massive and peaceful Hirak protests in 2019 continues to this day. It is worth noting that, to date, nearly 300 people remain imprisoned in Algeria for expressing their opinions: journalists, poets, trade unionists... These figures do not take into account all those who have been released from prison over the last three years and who had been sentenced for the same political reasons to terms ranging from a few weeks or months to several years.

Thus, it is the whole of Algerian civil society that is being brought to heel and silenced.

The member organisations of the International Trade Union Network of Solidarity and Struggles demand an immediate end to the legal proceedings brought by the authorities against CNAPESTE and condemn the censorship and deprivation of liberty to which Algerian activists are subjected. They express their solidarity with their comrades at CNAPESTE and will be vigilant regarding the authorities’ next moves.