Case History: Yahia Bounouar
On 8 February 2013, the vehicle of human rights defender Mr Yahia Bounouar was interfered with and damaged, while he was in Algiers. This incident followed surveillance of the human rights defender by unknown individuals on a number of occasions days prior.
Yahia Bounouar is a prominent journalist in Algeria who covered the hostage events which took place in Amenas, acting as correspondent for several television stations, such as France 24, BFMTV, Al Jazeera, and newspapers including le Figaro and the Guardian. Yahia Bounouar is also President of the Algerian Observatory of Human Rights.
On 8 February 2013, the vehicle of human rights defender Mr Yahia Bounouar was interfered with and damaged, while he was in Algiers. This incident followed surveillance of the human rights defender by unknown individuals on a number of occasions days prior.
On the morning of 8 February 2013, Yahia Bounouar passed his parked car and noticed that a vapour was emitting from it. Upon touching the bonnet of the car, he noted that it was hot. As the vehicle had not been used by Yahia Bounouar the previous night, when he was staying at a friend's house in Algiers, the vapour seemed to be a result of interference by unknown individuals.
This incident follows a number of occasions during previous days when Yahia Bounouar was followed by unknown individuals in two cars, a Golf and a KIA. It is reported that the cars following the human rights defender were so close that it almost caused an accident. On 4 February 2013, the driver of the Golf car disembarked the vehicle and followed Yahia Bounouar to his apartment. Yahia Bounouar has also noticed during this time unknown plain-clothed persons taking photos of him, including photographing individuals he was meeting.
