Ghardaïa court confirms six-month prison term against “El Waha” editor for defamation
(CALP/IFEX) – On 2 March 2009, Nedjar Hadj Daoud, editor of the regional weekly “El Waha”, was arrested at his newspaper’s head office and taken to prison after being found guilty of defaming a municipal government employee. Hadj Daoud’s paper has been banned since 2006 and he has been named in more than 25 defamation […]
Journalist arrested, imprisoned in libel case
(CALP/IFEX) – CALP has expressed concern that Bachir Larabi, El Bayadh correspondent for the Algiers-based Arabic-language daily “El Khabar”, has been imprisoned in the town of Aïn Sefra since 21 January 2006. The journalist has started a hunger strike to protest his incarceration. On 29 September 2005, Larabi was sentenced in absentia to one month […]
Cartoonist and former publication director of daily “Liberté” sentenced to six months in prison
(CALP/IFEX) – On 28 June 2005, an Algiers court sentenced Ali Dilem, a cartoonist with the daily “Liberté”, and Farid Alilat, the daily’s former publication director, to six months in prison with no parole and a 250,000 dinar (approx. US$3,500) fine. The paper was fined 1.5 million dinars (approx. US$21,100). Alilat, who is presently out […]
More journalists fined and sentenced to prison
(CALP/IFEX) – On 14 June 2005, Ali Dilem, a cartoonist with the daily “Liberté”, was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of 250,000 dinars (approx. US$3,400) following a defamation complaint by the National Defence Ministry. The charges against Dilem stem from a 29 November 2001 cartoon in which he dared to poke […]
Two journalists sentenced to two months in prison
(CALP/IFEX) – On 17 May 2005, the Sidi M’hamed Tribunal in Algiers sentenced Hakim Laâlam, a columnist for the daily “Le Soir d’Algérie”, and Fouad Boughanem, the paper’s director, to two months in prison with no parole for “insulting” and “offending” the head of state. In addition, the journalists and the paper were each fined […]
Three journalists charged with criminal defamation
(CALP/IFEX) – The state prosecutor for the Sidi M’hamed Court in Algiers is seeking a one year prison sentence with no parole for Farid Alilat, former director of the daily “Liberté”, Ali Dilem and Mustapha Hammouche, a cartoonist and columnist, respectively, with the same paper. The three journalists have been charged with criminal defamation. The […]
CALP statement marking World Press Freedom Day
(CALP/IFEX) – The following is a CALP statement: CALP statement marking World Press Freedom Day Press freedom has been one of the rare gains since the democratisation process got underway in Algeria following the October 1988 riots. This year, as we mark World Press Freedom Day, press freedom is under increasing attack in the country. […]
Campaign against independent media launched in mosques
(CALP/IFEX) – On 20 February 2004, a violent campaign against the independent press was launched in many government-controlled mosques across the country during Friday prayers. Imams issued calls for violence during their sermons in several Algerian cities, including Algiers, where a bitter sermon against the press was even broadcast live on ENTV, the country’s only […]
Television journalist assassinated
(CALP/IFEX) – Mourad Belkacem, a journalist with Canal Algérie, the ENTV public television station’s satellite channel, has been assassinated. The journalist’s body was found at his home in Algiers on 26 July 2002, at approximately 10:00 p.m. (local time). According to the official APS agency, the journalist was “killed with a sharp weapon” and “his […]
Army takes legal action against several journalists
(CALP/IFEX) – Ali Dilem, a caricaturist from the daily “Liberté”, was questioned by police on 25 January 2002. The Ministry of National Defence filed a complaint against him following the publication of a caricature in the newspaper’s 29 November 2001 issue. The ministry claims his caricature was “defamatory and prejudicial to senior officials of the […]
Journalist assaulted
(CALP/IFEX) – Sid Ahmed Semiane (SAS), a columnist from the daily “Le Matin”, was assaulted during the night of Thursday 18 October to Friday 19 October 2001 by Lotfi Nezzar, the son of retired general Khaled Nezzar. The attack on the “Le Matin” journalist was reportedly prompted by his writings about Lotfi Nezzar’s father, which […]
Penal Code amendment published in official gazette
(CALP/IFEX) – Following its adoption by the two houses of parliament, the Penal Code defamation provision reform was signed by the president and published in the official gazette dated 27 June 2001. The new clauses have thus gone into effect. They have been characterised as repressive and extremely dangerous for press freedom by all Algerian […]
Penal Code reform bill adopted
(Algerian Centre/IFEX) – On Saturday 16 June 2001, in the afternoon, the Council of the Nation (Conseil de la Nation, second house of parliament) adopted the reform bill on defamation provisions in the penal code. The new penal code clauses that cover defamation make provisions for prison sentences ranging from two months to one year […]
Two journalists killed during a demonstration in Algiers
(FIJALGER/IFEX) – Fadhila Nedjma, journalist from the Arabic language weekly “Echourouk”, and Adel Zerrouk, Algiers correspondent for the Arabic language daily “Erraï”, were killed on Thursday 14 June 2001, in the afternoon, during a demonstration in Algiers, which was the scene of violent confrontations. According to a senior official from the Algerian Ministry of the […]