Algerian-French activist Amira Bouraoui has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by an Algerian court after fleeing to France. Dzwatch.net brings you the full story on this significant verdict. Amira Bouraoui Sentence
An Algerian court in Constantine has sentenced Algerian-French activist Amira Bouraoui to a 10-year prison term in absentia after she fled to France, igniting significant legal and diplomatic fallout. Local media and representatives from Reporters Without Borders report that this ruling also includes a six-month imprisonment for journalist Mustapha Ben Jaafar, accused of aiding her escape from Algeria.
The prosecution, a week prior to the sentencing, had recommended a decade-long sentence for Bouraoui and three years for Ben Jaafar, who is expected to be released soon, having already served over six months in provisional detention, according to a Reporters Without Borders representative on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter).
Bouraoui faced trial in her absence on charges of “illegally leaving Algerian territory” for Tunisia and then France, stated her lawyer, Abdellah Haboul. Despite a travel ban, Bouraoui, who also holds French citizenship, left Algeria and entered Tunisia on February 3rd. She was arrested while attempting to fly to Paris from a Tunisian airport.
Within three days, a judge decided to release her and postpone her case review. However, on the same day, she managed to travel to France, despite Tunisian authorities’ attempts to deport her back to Algeria. This prompted an outraged response from Algeria, leading to President Abdelmadjid Tebboune recalling the Algerian ambassador to France for consultations, condemning the “secret evacuation operation” allegedly facilitated by French diplomats and security personnel. Amira Bouraoui Sentence
Amira Bouraoui, a 46-year-old Algerian-French gynecologist, gained prominence in 2014 for her involvement in the “Barakat” movement against the fourth-term candidacy of the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and later participated in the 2019 popular “Hirak” movement.
Journalist Mustapha Ben Jaafar, editor-in-chief of the “Loprovençal” newspaper, was arrested on February 8th at his workplace in Annaba (east), and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, with 8 months effective, in the case of Algerian-Canadian researcher Raouf Farah, who also received the same sentence and has since been released from prison.
For more in-depth coverage and the latest updates on this unfolding story, stay tuned to dzwatch.net, your source for breaking news and comprehensive analyses.
