In Algeria, arrests for political opinions are increasing as the presidential election approaches
Since the electoral campaign began on August 15, a certain indifference seems to prevail, although numerous people, including internet users, activists, and political figures, have recently been arrested.
“Never has a presidential campaign been marked by such severe repression,” notes Mohcine Belabbas, the former president of the Rally for Culture and Democracy. He is boycotting the presidential election on September 7 in Algeria after several members of his party, including President Atmane Mazouz, were briefly arrested on August 20. They were prevented from reaching Ifri, in the Béjaïa province, where they intended to commemorate the Soummam Congress, a key moment in the independence war.
Since the crackdown on the Hirak movement in June 2019—a popular movement that led to the fall of President Bouteflika—even the funerals of public figures are monitored to prevent political protests.
Is this recent increase in repression linked to the electoral campaign? Karim Tabbou, president of the unrecognized Democratic and Social Union, and Fethi Ghares, coordinator of the suspended Democratic and Social Movement (MDS), both opposed to the election, continue to face threats. Since gaining notoriety during the Hirak, they have been regularly harassed legally.
On August 19, Karim Tabbou learned that his judicial supervision now prevents him from “posting political comments on social media” or “participating in political debates.” Fethi Ghares was arrested on August 27 and released two days later under judicial control. Both he and his wife, Cheballah Messaouda, are being prosecuted for “insulting the President of the Republic,” “spreading false information,” and “inciting hatred.” Similar charges led to his nine-month imprisonment between 2021 and 2022.
Currently, at least “225 prisoners of conscience” are recorded, according to human rights defenders.
What is surprising is that, despite this tense situation, President Tebboune seems to be heading toward re-election amid relative indifference. Discussions are absent from the media, which are controlled by the authorities, and social networks are also under surveillance.
Meanwhile, the judiciary continues to target activists. For instance, Yacine Mekireche was arrested on August 6 for a Facebook post mocking President Tebboune’s call to gymnast Kaylia Nemour, who recently won a medal. His friends wonder whether this post, or another from April that pays tribute to the victims of the 2001 “Black Spring,” led to his arrest. He is being prosecuted for “spreading hate speech” and “inciting an unarmed gathering,” one of many people arrested in recent weeks.
Since June 2019, Algerian authorities have relied on an enhanced legal arsenal, including Article 87 bis of the Penal Code, which equates “terrorism” with any call to change the system by unconventional means. This vague legislation allows security services to broadly target human rights defenders. Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur, called for a review of these laws in November 2023.
This legal arsenal would be ineffective without the judges’ excessive use of detention orders, which have become the norm. This allows detainees to be kept in pretrial detention for extended periods, creating an atmosphere of fear and pressure.
