ALGERIA: AUTHORITIES MUST IMMEDIATELY DROP CHARGES AGAINST MOHAMED TADJADIT AND 12 HIRAK ACTIVISTS

The Algerian authorities’ misuse of vaguely worded security laws to silence their critics is a grave injustice that must cease. These baseless charges must be dropped, and the activists released immediately and unconditionally

The Algerian authorities must immediately drop charges against prominent Hirak activist and poet Mohamed Tadjadit and 12 other activists who face state security charges punishable with long terms of imprisonment, or even possibly the death penalty, for exercising their human rights, Amnesty International said ahead of the start of their trial on 30 November. The organization is calling on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all activists who have been detained solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. 

It is utterly appalling that activists in Algeria, like Mohamed Tadjadit, are facing heavy prison sentences and even the possible risk of the death penalty, simply because they advocated for political reforms.

Hussein Baoumi, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“It is utterly appalling that activists in Algeria, like Mohamed Tadjadit, are facing heavy prison sentences and even the possible risk of the death penalty, simply because they advocated for political reforms,” said Hussein Baoumi, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.  

“The Algerian authorities’ misuse of vaguely worded security laws to silence their critics is a grave injustice that must cease. These baseless charges must be dropped, and the activists released immediately and unconditionally.” 

Algeria has not carried out any executions since 1993. However, Algeria is yet to abolish the death penalty and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Authorities have sentenced people to death, including dissidents following unfair trials in recent years. The imposition of the death penalty after unfair proceedings renders the use of this punishment arbitrary under international law and standards.  

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty unconditionally, in any cases and under any circumstances. 

The trial of the 13 Hirak activists will commence in front of the Dar El Beïda tribunal of first instance in Algiers on 30 November. They are facing state security charges solely based on their peaceful activism advocating for political reforms. 

Unjust prosecution and risk of death sentence for expressing dissent 

The activists are facing charges of “conspiring to incite citizens against the authority of the state and to undermine national unity” (Articles 77 para 1, 78 and 79 of the Penal Code). This criminal charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and by the death penalty.  

The public prosecution also accused them of “receiving funds to carry out actions undermining state security or stability (…) as part of a premeditated plan inside or outside the country,” “publishing content harmful to national interest,” and “inciting to unarmed gathering,” respectively under Article 95bis, 95bis 1, 96 and 100 of the Penal Code that together carry penalties of 11 to 30 years’ imprisonment.  

These vaguely and overly-broad criminal provisions, which stipulate heavy penalties, lack legal clarity, directly criminalize the peaceful exercise of human rights, and are open to arbitrary and discretionary application in contravention with international human rights law and standards. In addition, the actions subject to prosecution do not meet the threshold of the “most serious crimes”, interpreted as intentional killing, to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international human rights law and standards. 

The public prosecution is solely relying on the activists’ social media posts and private digital communications lamenting socio-economic conditions in the country and supporting Hirak protests as ‘evidence’.  

In some instances, the public prosecution is using online publications for which the defendants have already been previously convicted, thus indicating a violation of the principle of double jeopardy. For example, the prosecution is relying on a video shared by Mohamed Tadjadit and four co-defendants who posted the testimony of a child tortured in police custody, an act for which those five men were previously sentenced to 16 months in prison. 

Mohamed Tadjadit has previously been convicted and sentenced in at least seven separate cases since 2019. On 11 November, he was sentenced to five years in prison in another case for unfounded terrorism-related charges. Multiple defendants among the 13 are also facing multiple sentences related to their peaceful activism in separate cases.

Algeria: Further Information: Activists & poet could face death sentence: Mohamed Tadjadit – Amnesty International

On 30 November 2025, a new trial will commence for activist and poet Mohamed Tadjadit and 12 other activists who all face state security charges punishable by long-term imprisonment and the death p…

“The Algerian authorities’ repeated prosecution of activists simply for expressing dissenting opinions or for participating in peaceful assemblies reveals a deliberate attempt to close the civic space and silence any form of criticism,” said Hussein Baoumi. 

 Algerian authorities must reverse course urgently: free these activists immediately and unconditionally and cease the criminalization of dissent.

Hussein Baoumi

“Algerian authorities must reverse course urgently: free these activists immediately and unconditionally and cease the criminalization of dissent.” 

Background 

Since the outbreak of the “Hirak” protests in 2019, the Algerian authorities have maintained a relentless crackdown on all forms of dissent by arresting, detaining and convicting activists, journalists, and critics expressing opposition to the government’s policies or other opinions critical of the authorities.