Breaking the Silence: Restoring the Memory of Nuclear Testing and Amplifying the Voices of Its Victims in Algeria

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Date/Time
Date(s) - Wednesday - Dec 17, 2025
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Categories


Date: 17 Dec. 2025, 12 noon CET time
Platform: Zoom

Registration: https://bit.ly/Nuclear-VoicesinAlgeria
Language Available: English and Arabic

Speakers:

  1. Moderator: Aigerim Seitenova, Founder of Qazaq Nuclear Frontline Coalition (QNFC)
  2. Amel El Mejri, PhD in international law and nuclear disarmament activist
  3. Jean-Marie Collin, Director of ICAN FRANCE
  4. Dr. Patrice Richard, Co-President of AMFPGN-IPPNW France

Background

Between 1960 and 1966, France conducted 17 nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara. Decades later, the human, environmental, and social consequences of these tests remain largely unaddressed. Communities living near Reggane and In Ekker continue to experience high rates of cancer, chronic illness, contaminated land, and long-term socio-economic marginalization. Despite the undeniable impacts, victims in Algeria face major barriers to recognition, data collection, and access to reparations.

International discussions, particularly under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), have increasingly emphasized the importance of victim assistance, environmental remediation, and historical justice. However, Algeria’s case remains under-represented in global conversations, and survivors continue to lack clear pathways for compensation and acknowledgment.

This webinar seeks to focus squarely on the victims’ perspective, bringing their rights and needs to the center of the conversation.

Objectives

The webinar aims to:

  • Highlight the human impact of nuclear testing on Algerian communities, including intergenerational health effects and social harms. 
  • Discuss criteria for victim recognition, including what qualifies an individual or community as a “victim” under international law. 
  • Examine the current gaps in data collection, evidence, and mapping of affected populations and contaminated areas. 
  • Explore avenues for reparations, compensation schemes, and environmental cleanup, including international obligations and national advocacy. 
  • Strengthen collaboration between civil-society organizations, researchers, and peace and disarmament networks to advance justice and accountability.

Registration: https://bit.ly/Nuclear-VoicesinAlgeria