His supporters are especially afraid of him: Algerian activist Mohamed Tadjadit, 31, was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday, November 11 for “apologizing for terrorism,” said his lawyer, Fetta Sadat. The man nicknamed the “Hirak poet” is famous for his poems that were recited during massive demonstrations marking the pro-democracy movement that rocked Algeria in 2019, or shared on Facebook.
That year, the Hirak broke out in February, forcing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has since died, to resign two months later. Abdelmadjid Tebboune was elected the following December. Gradually, the ban on gatherings justified by the Covid-19 epidemic and the detention of prominent Hirak figures hampered protests since March 2020.
Mr. Tadjadit’s lawyer stated in a message published on Facebook that his client was found guilty of, among other things, “support for terrorist organizations” and from “spreading extremist ideas”. Public prosecutors have asked for a ten-year prison sentence against him.
“A worrying signal”
Prior to this sentence, in a joint statement published Monday, around twenty NGOs – including Amnesty International and the freedom of expression organization Pen America – assessed the charges against Mohamed Tadjadit “unfounded” and called for his release.
He “persecution (…) based on his poetry and peaceful activism, which makes his detention a violation of his fundamental rights”they added, confirming that his trial had been sent “an alarming signal to all those who speak out in defense of human rights in Algeria”.
Authorities jailed Mohamed Tadjadit at least six times between 2019 and 2025, the NGO said. His final release occurred in November 2024 after receiving a presidential pardon. Arrested again in January, he was sentenced to five years in prison in another case, his sentence reduced to one year on appeal.
