July 17 2024: Ahead of the trial scheduled on 18 July of prominent Hirak activist Mohamed Tadjadit, known as the “poet of the Hirak”, who has been arbitrarily detained for seven months over critical social media commentary and private online conversations Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said:
“The Algerian authorities’ relentless targeting of Mohamed Tadjadit is further confirmation that the authorities’ repression of peaceful dissent continues. Once again, authorities are misusing terrorism charges to silence and punish, creating a climate of fear for people who want to express critical opinions. This is the fifth time Mohamed Tadjadit has faced trial since 2019.
“Mohamed Tadjadit’s pre-trial detention for the past seven months is profoundly unjust. Algerian authorities must release him and drop all charges as they stem solely from his exercise of human rights.
“Ahead of the presidential elections in September, it is essential for Algerian authorities to ensure that everyone, including those critical of the government, can exercise their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.”
Background
On 29 January 2024, Algerian authorities arrested Mohamed Tadjadit at his home in Algiers and ordered his pre-trial detention. On 31 January, he appeared before a prosecutor and investigative judge at the court of Rouiba, in Algiers, without the presence of a lawyer and was questioned in connection with charges of “glorification of terrorism” and “using communication technologies to support the actions and activities of terrorist organizations,” pursuant to articles 87bis 4 and bis 12 of the penal code, with reference to online communications with individuals, which Algerian authorities subsequently designated as terrorists.
Other evidence brought against Mohamed Tadjadit in the investigation included videos he posted on his personal Facebook and TikTok accounts critical of the Algerian authorities and commenting on the political situation and socioeconomic conditions.
Between 2019 and 2022, the authorities prosecuted and detained Mohamed Tadjadit in at least four different cases, all for his participation in peaceful protests or for exercising his right to freedom of expression.
Over the past five years, Algerian authorities have escalated their clampdown on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly by targeting dissenting voices, whether they are protesters, journalists or people expressing their views on social media. Since 2021, Algerian authorities have repeatedly used baseless terrorism charges to crack down on people for expressing dissent.
In December 2021, a legal analysis from UN Special Procedures (OL DZA 12/2021) concluded that Algeria’s legal framework on counterterrorism – including its definition of terrorism crimes and its terrorist designation process – is in direct opposition of best practices in international human rights law.
© 2024 Amnesty International