The lawyer for Algerian democracy activist and New Zealand citizen Ahmed Zaoui says the next 24-48 hours will be critical for him following his arrest.
Zaoui's lawyer Deborah Manning said he was arrested at gunpoint by Algerian security forces in the city of Medea at 5:30am (local time) on Tuesday.
He was arrested for holding a political meeting at his home and making comments on the Algerian political and human rights situation, according to Manning.
Zaoui, who is a dual citizen of New Zealand and Algeria, is currently detained in a police station and his family is "very concerned" and working with the New Zealand Consular Affairs.
Following the announcement of the arrest, Manning told Newshub in an interview that Zaoui was at home with his family having dinner when the arrest occurred.
"He was at home with his family having tea and the house was basically stormed by eight men in balaclavas with assault rifles and pistols," she said.
"The house was surrounded by about 12 vehicles and it was a major operation and they were told they were under orders to take him to Algiers for interrogation."
Manning told Newshub the next 24-48 hours are critical for him.
"It's very much a day-by-day situation as we try and figure out what is happening. The first 48 hours are really important, so we are waiting to see what might happen tomorrow in terms of what the authorities may do. But it's a very concerning situation, of course," she said.
The reason for this is that it's normally in this timeframe when people are taken and interrogated, according to Manning.
"Just to be clear, it's an unlawful, arbitrary detention to be arrested for your political expression, [but] we will just have to wait and see, but it's a very serious situation," she said.
Manning said she's no longer able to contact Zaoui because he's in a jail cell but she's in contact with his family who have "limited" contact with him.
She said his immediate and extended family are in Algeria but he does have relatives in New Zealand.
She told Newshub his family is "very worried and anxious" about his situation and welfare.
"Ideally, Mr Zaoui will be released from detention in Algeria and then he will need to look very seriously at his security situation, that's the ideal. As I say, we're in a day-by-day situation hoping that will happen," she said.
Zaoui was recognised as a refugee in New Zealand in 2003 after a protracted legal battle but Manning said he is Algerian "through and through".
He entered the North African country on a New Zealand passport to be with family after the political situation appeared to be settling.
"Well, hindsight is always 20/20, isn't it? We're always making constant risk assessments about whatever we do and clearly, he thought it was something that was safe and that he could manage. But it has come as a surprise and now we just must manage the situation we're in," she said.
Manning said Zaoui hasn't changed his beliefs and messaging in calling for "peace and dialogue" in Algeria.
"They're [his family] extremely worried. They can't understand why this is happening. They keep reinforcing he has just continued his messages of peace and dialogue in Algeria and that seems to be the very problem that Mr Zaoui is continuing to call for peace and dialogue."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) told Newshub it was aware of reports of a New Zealander detained in Algeria but could not provide further information due to "privacy reasons".
"We are providing consular assistance to a New Zealander detained in Algeria," a spokesperson for the MFAT.
Zaoui's arrest comes after a crackdown by Algerian security services. According to Amnesty International, an estimated 300 people have been arrested in Algeria on charges related to freedom of speech since a law change in April cracking down on media freedom.
