While the independent journalist Khaled Drareni, who has become a symbol of the fight for press freedom in Algeria, was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday in Algiers, and calls to release the journalist have multiplied, the Union European is discussing with the authorities with the Algerian authorities, announced Friday a spokesperson for the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.
"We are following with concern the situation of journalist Khaled Drareni", sentenced to three years in prison for "inciting unarmed assembly" and "undermining national unity", declared the spokesperson Nabila Massrali.
Nabila Massrali thus recalled the Union's commitment to press freedom and the protection of journalists.
"We are dealing with individual cases and human rights issues at different levels within the framework of the dialogue between the EU and Algeria", she assured, adding that the EU calls on Algeria has "worked for appeasement and dialogue".
RSF denounces "judicial persecution"
Khaled Drareni, 40, director of the Casbah Tribune news site, is a correspondent in Algeria for the French-speaking channel TV5 Monde and the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Sentenced on Monday, he was prosecuted following his coverage on March 7 in Algiers of a demonstration by Hirak, the popular uprising that rocked Algeria for more than a year, until his suspension a few months ago. due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He has been in prison since March 29.
For its part, RSF denounced a “judicial persecution”. Its secretary general Christophe Deloire castigated a decision of a "justice to orders", which "raises the heart and the mind by its arbitrary, absurd and violent character".
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Algeria: Calls to release journalist Khaled Drareni multiply
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Algeria: journalist Khaled Drareni sentenced to three years in prison
- Freedom of press
- Media
- Europe
- Hurry
- Algeria