a tribunal in Chéraga, a suburb of Algiers, Algerian media reported interceptions by sentenced activist Amira Bouraoui to two Algeria’s coastguard of migrants’ dinghies years in prison for “offending” the Prophet heading for Spain. One such interception Muhammad in online posts about him. The returned Hirak activist Brahim Laalami, who verdict was confirmed on appeal on 18 was subsequently sentenced to three months October. in prison for irregular exit. At least 29 In December, a judge in Ain Defla city in migrants attempting to reach Europe died off north Algeria sentenced Foudhil Bahloul, a the coast of west Algeria between April and Christian convert, to a six-month prison June. sentence and a fine for illegally “accepting Despite government efforts to vaccinate donations”. Sahrawi refugees in camps in Tindouf from On 7 July, authorities ordered the sealing the beginning of May, the Covid-19 wave in and closure of three Protestant churches in July resulted in over 63 deaths of refugees. Oran city. WOMEN'S RIGHTS RIGHT TO HEALTH The Penal Code and Family Code continued Between July and mid-August, a third wave to unlawfully discriminate against women in of Covid-19 led to hundreds of deaths and a matters of inheritance, marriage, divorce, shortage of oxygen supplies. child custody and guardianship. The National Syndicate of Practitioners of Algerian law still does not explicitly Public Health recorded 470 deaths of health recognize marital rape as a crime. The Penal sector workers due to Covid-19 between Code’s “forgiveness clause” continued to March 2020, when the pandemic began, and allow rapists to escape punishment if their August 2021. victims pardon them. Authorities took no steps to address REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS violence against women. The women’s group Authorities continued to detain asylum Feminicides Algérie recorded at least 55 seekers indefinitely while seeking to facilitate femicides in 2021, saying that the police had their deportation before their asylum claim failed to adequately investigate those cases or had been fully evaluated. Irregular migration prosecute those responsible. remained punishable by up to two years in prison. From December 2019 to June 2021, LGBTI PEOPLE’S RIGHTS authorities arbitrarily detained in degrading The Penal Code continued to criminalize and insanitary conditions seven Yemeni consensual same-sex sexual acts, which asylum seekers registered with UNHCR, after remained punishable by up to two years’ originally denying them access to the UN imprisonment and a fine. refugee agency. DEATH PENALTY Authorities continued to round up and collectively expel asylum seekers and Courts continued to hand down death migrants across the Niger border without due sentences; no executions were reported. process or individual evaluations of their protection needs, often forcing them to walk 1. “Algeria: Repressive tactics used to target Hirak activists two years long distances in the desert before reaching on”, 22 February the nearest town in Niger. Expelled migrants 2. “Algeria: Drop trumped-up charges against three human rights often reported or bore signs of physical defenders”, 17 May abuse. Between January and August, the 3. “Algeria: Stop using bogus terrorism charges to prosecute peaceful project Alarm Phone Sahara documented the activists and journalists”, 28 September expulsions of at least 16,580 individuals, 4. “Algeria: Scores detained in escalation of crackdown against including children. activists”, 24 June Amnesty International Report 2021/22 71