NOAJ Condemns Heinous Hijacking of “Freedom Flotilla” in International Waters: Algeria Demands Immediate Release of Journalist Mehdi Mekhloufi and Fellow Activists
✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers – October 2025 – The National Organization of Algerian Journalists (NOAJ) has issued a forceful denunciation of what it termed a “despicable act of piracy and forced abduction in international waters” targeting the Freedom Flotilla en route to Gaza on a purely humanitarian mission. Among those seized is Algerian journalist Mehdi Mekhloufi, whose presence on board was part of an international media effort to document and shed light on the dire humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the NOAJ condemned the “heinous hijacking” carried out against flotilla participants, stressing that this incident represents not only a flagrant violation of international law but also a brazen assault on the fundamental principles of press freedom and the world’s right to access accurate information.
A Direct Threat to Journalists’ Safety and Press Freedom
The organization warned against any attempt to endanger the lives of journalists or restrict their peaceful and strictly humanitarian mission. “Targeting vessels and abducting activists constitutes a blatant aggression against press freedom and an attempt to silence the truth,” the statement declared, holding the occupying power fully accountable for the safety and integrity of all journalists and humanitarian activists aboard.
By equating such actions to a “war crime against free expression and humanity at large,” the NOAJ stressed that these violations cannot be allowed to pass into oblivion or be normalized as acceptable conduct. The assault on the flotilla, it insisted, is emblematic of a larger effort to muzzle journalists, prevent the exposure of humanitarian suffering, and intimidate those who strive to bring truth to light.
The NOAJ urged the United Nations, human rights bodies, and global humanitarian organizations to act swiftly and decisively to secure the immediate release of the abducted individuals and ensure their protection. It emphasized that the world must not remain silent in the face of actions that undermine international law, endanger human lives, and seek to extinguish the universal right to information.
Solidarity and Resistance
Reiterating its “absolute solidarity” with all journalists engaged in the noble mission of the flotilla, particularly Mehdi Mekhloufi, the NOAJ underscored that any harm inflicted upon them or attempt to restrict their work represents a direct assault on free, independent journalism. Such actions, the organization affirmed, stand as crimes against the very essence of human dignity and international norms, crimes that will never lapse or be forgotten with the passage of time.
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