Brussels, 5 February 2018: Today, the ITUC together with IndustriALL, PSI and IUF have delivered a joint letter to the Algerian Embassy in Geneva to protest against the imminent trial of trade union leaders affiliated to the General Confederation of Autonomous Workers in Algeria (CGATA). The general secretary of SNATEG, Mr Abdelkader Kawafi, and the national coordinator of SESS, Mr Kaddour Chouicha, will be tried tomorrow 6 February 2018 under accusations of "defamation" and ''incitement to unauthorized gathering", merely for their legitimate trade union activities.

Trade union leaders of CGATA continue to face intimidation and be subjected to legal procedures, fines and prison sentences in retaliation for their defense of the freedom of association of their members. "We express our full solidarity with these persecuted trade union leaders. In June 2017 the ILO Committee on the Applications of the Standards urged the Algerian government to halt all practices of intimidation and police violence against trade union leaders, as well as to proceed immediately with the registration of the independent unions, as well with the reinstatement of the dismissed workers based on their trade union activism. We expect the government to deliver," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.