Algeria’s civic space has suffered another devastating blow following the administrative tribunal in Algiers’ decision on July 28, 2026, to dissolve the National Autonomous Union of Education and Training Workers (CNAPESTE). The independent teachers’ union, legally registered since 2007, was disbanded following a petition by the Ministry of Labour, backed by the Ministry of Education.
Amnesty International has strongly condemned the move, characterizing it as part of a broader, systemic assault on the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly. Sar Hashash, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, stated, “Today’s decision to dissolve the CNAPESTE is a serious assault on the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly and a devastating blow to independent trade union activity in Algeria”. For those tracking the region’s political climate through African news analysis, this development signals a significant tightening of government control over civil society.
Law 23-02: A Tool for Suppression?
The dissolution was executed under the purview of Law 23-02, a highly restrictive piece of trade union legislation enacted in April 2023. While the Algerian government has maintained that such laws aim to ensure unions are properly regulated and politically independent, human rights defenders argue the law grants authorities sweeping, arbitrary powers.
Law 23-02 allows the government to suspend or dissolve unions on vaguely defined grounds, such as failing to comply with internal bylaws or participating in strikes deemed to affect “the continuity or functioning of the public service”. Hashash emphasized that disbanding a union simply because its members challenged legislation affecting their working conditions is “entirely inconsistent with Algeria’s obligations under international human rights law”. Amnesty International is urging authorities to rescind the ruling and end the judicial harassment of trade unionists so they can operate without fear of reprisals.
A Broader Crackdown on Civic Space
The dissolution of CNAPESTE is not an isolated incident but rather the latest escalation in an ongoing crackdown on independent voices, trade unions, and civil society organizations in Algeria.
This trend of repression has been building in recent years. For instance, in 2025, at least five union members faced arbitrary arrests and prosecutions for organizing peaceful protests against deteriorating working conditions, including two CNAPESTE representatives who were placed under judicial supervision. Furthermore, in late 2025, an independent union leader Ali Mammeri was sentenced to a lengthy prison term in relation to his union work and peaceful activism. This pattern mirrors the tactics used in 2021 and 2022 when authorities utilized similar associations laws to dissolve prominent civil society and human rights organizations.
The situation in Algeria highlights the critical need for adherence to international labor standards, specifically concerning the right of workers to organize and advocate for their interests free from state interference. For international observers and journalists documenting these events on the ground, utilizing secure African travel guides remains essential for safe navigation and reporting.
Algeria’s civic space has suffered another devastating blow following the administrative tribunal in Algiers’ decision on July 28, 2026, to dissolve the National Autonomous Union of Education and Training Workers (CNAPESTE). The independent teachers’ union, legally registered since 2007, was disbanded following a petition by the Ministry of Labour, backed by the Ministry of Education.
Amnesty International has strongly condemned the move, characterizing it as part of a broader, systemic assault on the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly. Sar Hashash, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, stated, “Today’s decision to dissolve the CNAPESTE is a serious assault on the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly and a devastating blow to independent trade union activity in Algeria”. For those tracking the region’s political climate through African news analysis, this development signals a significant tightening of government control over civil society.
Law 23-02: A Tool for Suppression?
The dissolution was executed under the purview of Law 23-02, a highly restrictive piece of trade union legislation enacted in April 2023. While the Algerian government has maintained that such laws aim to ensure unions are properly regulated and politically independent, human rights defenders argue the law grants authorities sweeping, arbitrary powers.
Law 23-02 allows the government to suspend or dissolve unions on vaguely defined grounds, such as failing to comply with internal bylaws or participating in strikes deemed to affect “the continuity or functioning of the public service”. Hashash emphasized that disbanding a union simply because its members challenged legislation affecting their working conditions is “entirely inconsistent with Algeria’s obligations under international human rights law”. Amnesty International is urging authorities to rescind the ruling and end the judicial harassment of trade unionists so they can operate without fear of reprisals.
A Broader Crackdown on Civic Space
The dissolution of CNAPESTE is not an isolated incident but rather the latest escalation in an ongoing crackdown on independent voices, trade unions, and civil society organizations in Algeria.
This trend of repression has been building in recent years. For instance, in 2025, at least five union members faced arbitrary arrests and prosecutions for organizing peaceful protests against deteriorating working conditions, including two CNAPESTE representatives who were placed under judicial supervision. Furthermore, in late 2025, an independent union leader Ali Mammeri was sentenced to a lengthy prison term in relation to his union work and peaceful activism. This pattern mirrors the tactics used in 2021 and 2022 when authorities utilized similar associations laws to dissolve prominent civil society and human rights organizations.
The situation in Algeria highlights the critical need for adherence to international labor standards, specifically concerning the right of workers to organize and advocate for their interests free from state interference. For international observers and journalists documenting these events on the ground, utilizing secure African travel guides remains essential for safe navigation and reporting.
