A government crackdown in Algeria on transporting sub-Saharan migrant workers has left dozens stranded at the train stations in Tlemcen and two other cities.

Termed a “humanitarian scandal” by three human rights organizations, the issue began Nov. 14 when police intercepted a train from Maghnia to Oran and prevented the workers from leaving the station.

The difficulty can be traced back to a Ministry of Transport's decision in late September threatening to suspend licenses of taxi drivers caught transporting the migrant workers. The Ministry later withdrew the order after a public outcry.

Now, the Ministry has renewed its ban on migrant worker travel by stopping trains carrying them to Maghnia, Oran and Tlemcen.

“It is an abusive political decision which has a negative impact on the whole Algerian society,” Faleh Hammoudi of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights said.

That group, along with Snapap and the CGATA, are protesting the situation.