Concern has been expressed that the Government is preparing to deport Algerian asylum-seekers back to their homeland following the recent rejection of asylum applications by two Algerian men.
The Irish-Algeria Solidarity Group says it is surprised the applications by the two have been rejected. A spokesman, Mr Brendan Butler, said the pair were "out of their mind" at the prospect of being sent back to Algeria.
Comhlamh, the association of returned development workers, expressed concern at the Government's "continuing alarming disregard" of the dangers asylum-seekers from some countries could face if repatriated.
More than 60,000 people have died in the past five years in Algeria's civil war, which has been marked by brutal human rights abuses by government forces and Islamic fundamentalist rebels.
Last year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees called on Western governments not to deport Algerian asylum-seekers without considering the security risk they may face if returned.
The two men have now appealed to the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, to be allowed stay in Ireland on humanitarian grounds.
Comhlamh has called on the Government not to deport any Algerians, either to other European states or to Algeria itself. According to its co-ordinator, Mr Robin Hanan, a number of Algerians sent back by other European states were later tortured or killed in their home country.
Last year, for example, an Algerian living in Toulouse in France was sent back, only to be assassinated a few weeks later.
