Concerns Grow After Amnesty Flags Forced Return of Tunisian Refugee
In an act that has drawn sharp condemnation from global human rights monitors, Algerian authorities have been accused of forcibly returning a Tunisian political dissident, violating a cornerstone of international refugee law. Amnesty International stated on Monday that Algeria breached its legal obligations by handing over Seifeddine Makhlouf to Tunisian police.
Makhlouf, a former parliamentarian and leader of the Al Karama party, is a vocal critic of Tunisian President Kais Saied. He sought asylum in Algeria in July 2024 after facing detention in Tunisia and formally registered as an asylum seeker with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).
An “Unlawful Refoulement”
According to Amnesty, on January 18, Makhlouf was transferred to Tunisian authorities “without prior notice to him or his lawyers.” The rights group categorizes this as “unlawful refoulement”—the forced return of a refugee or asylum seeker to a country where they are likely to face persecution.
Sara Hashash, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, stated the action is a “violation of the principle of non-refoulement.” She emphasized that by not allowing Makhlouf an opportunity to contest the decision or assessing the risks he faced, “Algeria has breached its obligations under international human rights law, including the Refugee Convention.”
A Widening Crackdown on Dissent
The case unfolds against a backdrop of a severe political crackdown in Tunisia. Since President Saied froze parliament and seized broad powers in 2021, local and international organizations have reported a significant regression of rights and freedoms. Amnesty notes that the judiciary has been “increasingly weaponized to silence political opposition.”
Makhlouf was reportedly sentenced in absentia by a Tunisian court on January 13 to five years in prison for “plotting against state security.” He was arrested upon his forced return to Tunisia to serve this sentence.
Amnesty’s statement calls for the in-absentia verdicts to be quashed and for a new, fair trial before an independent court.
A Dangerous Regional Precedent
Hashash warned that Makhlouf’s extradition is “particularly alarming” and reflects a wider pattern of regional repression. She argued that Algeria’s actions “set a dangerous precedent,” where “bilateral cooperation now takes precedence over the most fundamental principles of international human rights and refugee law.”
This incident raises urgent questions about the safety of asylum seekers in the region and the willingness of nations to uphold their international legal commitments when faced with political pressure from neighboring states. The forced return of Seifeddine Makhlouf is not just an isolated legal breach; it is a chilling signal to dissidents and a test of the international community’s resolve to protect the fundamental right to seek asylum.
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