Algeria –Algerian authorities yesterday, Tuesday, March 17, closed the headquarters of the missing persons association SOS Disparus in the capital, implementing an administrative decision issued by the Algiers provincial authorities on March 12.

According to a statement published by the association on its official page, officials from the Sidi Mohamed district went to the association’s headquarters in Algiers Central Municipality, where they informed its managers of the closure decision before sealing the premises.

The association is one of the most prominent organizations that worked on the issue of missing persons during the 1990s, known as the “Black Decade” (1992–2002). For years, it has hosted families of victims and organized weekly meetings at its headquarters.

The association was founded on the initiative of activist Nasira Ditor, and focuses its activities on documenting cases of enforced disappearance, supporting families of the missing, and demanding disclosure of their fate.

Nasira Ditor, the association’s president, is known for her ongoing activism regarding the Black Decade, a struggle deeply linked to the disappearance of her son during those years, making her one of the leading voices calling for accountability and the fate of the disappeared in Algeria.

The closure decision comes within the framework of the 2012 Associations Law, which requires organizations to obtain official approval to carry out their activities. Data indicate that the association did not obtain this approval.

Months ago, a related measure prevented Nasira Ditor from entering her country, as she was returned to Paris on the same flight she arrived on—a decision that sparked political and human rights reactions in Algeria.

Recently, the association faced difficulties in organizing some of its activities, including events related to human rights. Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, had previously expressed concern about the restrictions imposed on some members of the association.

As of this report, no detailed official statement has been issued by local authorities explaining the reasons for the decision, and the association has not announced the steps it intends to take following the closure of its headquarters.