UN rights experts urge Algeria to free detained journalist on hunger strike

United Nations human rights experts have called for the immediate release of detained Algerian journalist and rights activist Hassan Bouras, warning that his health is at serious risk after weeks on a hunger strike.

Bouras was arrested on April 12 outside his home in El-Bayadh by plain-clothed security agents, reportedly without a warrant or explanation. He was later placed in pre-trial detention on several charges, including alleged membership of a terrorist organisation.

According to four UN special rapporteurs, Bouras was moved into solitary confinement on May 2 after beginning a hunger strike to protest his detention. During the 26-day protest, he reportedly collapsed twice, developed severe health complications, and did not receive adequate medical treatment despite having pre-existing heart and respiratory conditions.

The experts, who are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on behalf of the United Nations, said they were “deeply concerned” about his arbitrary detention and urged Algerian authorities to ensure immediate access to legal counsel, proper medical care, and his release.

They also alleged that Bouras’s arrest reflects a broader pattern of judicial harassment targeting journalists and human rights defenders in Algeria.

The warning comes amid growing international concern over press freedom in the country. Algeria ranked 145th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 World Press Freedom Index, falling 19 places from the previous year. In May, Amnesty International also urged Algerian authorities to stop using the justice system to punish journalists for their reporting or critical views.