Imprisoned since March 29, Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni, who has become a symbol of the fight for press freedom, was sentenced on appeal, Tuesday, September 15, to two years in prison by the Court of Algiers and therefore remains in custody. jail.
Khaled Drareni was sentenced on August 10 to three years' imprisonment for "inciting unarmed assembly" and "undermining national unity".
The sentence, of unprecedented severity, surprised and indignant his colleagues.
THREAD We are outraged by the blind stubbornness of the Algerian judges who have just sentenced @khaleddrareni to 2 years in prison (on appeal).
His continued detention is proof of the regime's confinement in a logic of absurd, unjust and violent repression.
pic.twitter.com/olbBHDIPER
- Christophe Deloire (@cdeloire) September 15, 2020
During the appeal trial a week ago, the prosecutor requested - as in the first instance - four years in prison against the founder of the online news site Casbah Tribune, who is also the correspondent in Algeria for the channel. French television station TV5 Monde and for the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The 40-year-old journalist was arrested after covering a student demonstration in Algiers on March 7.
He is also accused of having criticized on Facebook "the corruption and money" of the political system and of having published a statement by a coalition of political parties in favor of a general strike, according to RSF.
>> To read: Khaled Drareni's appeal trial: strong mobilization of the international press
The Minister of Communication Ammar Belhimer, spokesman for the government, also accuses him of having worked without ever having had a professional press card.
"I am a journalist and not a criminal. I only did my job"
Khaled Drareni was tried together with Samir Benlarbi and Slimane Hamitouche, two figures of "Hirak", the popular uprising that rocked Algeria for more than a year until its suspension in mid-March because of the health crisis.
On the same charges, the latter two were granted provisional release on July 2, while Khaled Drareni was kept in prison.
The prosecutor also requested four years in prison against them.
During the appeal trial, during which he appeared emaciated, the journalist categorically rejected the charges against him.
"I am a journalist and not a criminal. I only did my job," he pleaded.
In a statement, RSF on Monday denounced "the pressures and attempts at corruption" of which this experienced journalist was the target ".
Increased repression against "Hirak" militants
Khaled Drareni's trial takes place against a backdrop of increased repression against "Hirak" activists, political opponents, journalists and bloggers.
Some journalists have been accused by the regime of sowing discord, threatening the national interest and especially of being in the pay of "foreign parties".
Several are in prison and trials are ongoing.
Algeria is in 146th place (out of 180) in the 2020 world press freedom ranking established by RSF.
It has lost five places compared to 2019 (141st) and 27 compared to 2015 (119th).
"It is important to continue the mobilization, including the media pressure vis-à-vis the judicial authorities but also political authorities so that they understand that we will not give up," Hakim Addad, an activist of the "Hirak".
According to the National Committee for the Liberation of Detainees (CNLD), some 45 people are currently behind bars for facts related to the protest.
With AFP
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