Fethi Ghares and His Wife: Accusations of “Offending the President and Inciting Hatred”

The investigating judge at the Bainem court, Bab El Oued, Algiers, today, August 29, 2024, ordered the placement of MDS coordinator Fethi Ghares and his wife, Messaouda Cheballah, who is also a party official, under judicial control. They are required to sign the judicial control register every 15 days and refrain from posting on social media. They are being charged with the following:
1. “Offense against the President of the Republic”
2. “Dissemination of false information likely to undermine security and public order”
3. “Propagation of hate speech and discrimination.”

Messaouda Cheballah is charged with complicity in all three counts. For reference: MDS coordinator and former political prisoner Fethi Ghares, along with his wife Messaouda Cheballah, also a party official, were presented today before the prosecutor at the Bab El Oued court, Algiers, which decided to open the case. They are awaiting their presentation before the investigating judge. Fethi Ghares has been in police custody since August 27, 2024, at the central police station in Algiers, while his wife Messaouda Cheballah and Ouahid Benhalla, another party leader, were released late at night. Messaouda Cheballah was heard and instructed to return on August 29, 2024, to be presented before the prosecutor with her husband. Former political prisoner Ouahid Benhalla was not questioned. However, neither he nor Messaouda Cheballah have recovered their phones, despite that being the reason for their visit to the central police station on August 27, 2024.