Algeria Extradites Seïf Eddine Makhlouf to Tunisia: Amnesty Denounces a Violation of International Law
In a statement published on Monday, 26 January 2026, Amnesty International strongly condemned the forced return of Seïf Eddine Makhlouf, a former MP and opposition figure, to Tunisia, despite his status as an asylum seeker registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Algeria. The organization described the measure as a case of “refoulement”, in direct violation of the principle of non-refoulement enshrined in international law and in the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
Seïf Eddine Makhlouf had taken refuge in Algeria in July 2024 after facing prosecution and detention in Tunisia, which he had described as arbitrary. He had officially registered with the UNHCR as an asylum seeker, a status which, according to Amnesty, afforded him protection against any forced return to a country where he faced the risk of serious violations of his fundamental rights.
Despite this status, Algerian authorities sentenced him to three months in prison for irregular entry into the territory, a sentence he served before being placed in administrative detention. Amnesty notes that while in detention, and despite repeated requests from his lawyer, he was not allowed to attend appointments scheduled by the UNHCR for the examination of his asylum application.
On 18 January 2026, members of the Algerian security forces escorted him to the border and handed him over to the Tunisian police, without prior notification, without a formal extradition decision, and without any possibility of appeal. Neither the individual concerned nor his lawyers were informed in advance of this measure, depriving him of any right to challenge his removal.
Violation of the principle of non-refoulement: For Amnesty International, this transfer constitutes a clear violation of the principle of non-refoulement, a cornerstone of international refugee law.
The NGO considers that the Algerian authorities should have put in place effective procedural safeguards to ensure that no asylum seeker is subjected to forced return before a full assessment of their protection needs.
Upon his arrival in Tunisia, Seïf Eddine Makhlouf was immediately placed in detention. According to a judicial source cited by TAP, he was the subject of several arrest warrants, and his apprehension falls within the framework of the enforcement of final judicial convictions handed down by the Court of First Instance of Tunis and upheld by the Court of Appeal.
The Court of First Instance of Tunis had sentenced him, on 13 January 2026, in absentia, to five years in prison with immediate enforcement for undermining State security, on the basis of several charges classified as crimes against State security.
Amnesty is calling for the annulment of the decisions issued in his absence and for the organization of a new fair trial before an independent and impartial court. The organization recalls that the former MP had previously been prosecuted and convicted by a military court, in violation of international standards prohibiting the trial of civilians by military jurisdictions.
A political opponent in a context of repression:
Former head of the parliamentary group of the Al Karama coalition, Seïf Eddine Makhlouf became known for his outspoken criticism of President Kaïs Saïed. An unsuccessful candidate in the 2019 presidential election, eliminated in the first round, he had nevertheless supported Kaïs Saïed in the second round before later moving into opposition.
Amnesty considers that his case is part of a broader context of increased repression against political opponents since July 2021, marked by the dissolution of Parliament, the concentration of powers, and the growing instrumentalization of the judiciary to silence critical voices.
Editorial team/le7tv
