Algerian authorities released more than 30 political activists under a presidential pardon issued before the second anniversary of the February 22 movement.
The Algerian News Agency reported today that, in a statement from the Ministry of Justice, on the occasion of Martyrs' Day and the second anniversary of the blessed original movement, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune took presidential pardon measures for 21 individuals who had been definitively sentenced to effective prison terms for acts related to the use of social networks or committed during gatherings. All of them were released today. The agency noted that authorities began releasing individuals who had not been definitively sentenced, involved in similar acts, bringing the total number of released individuals from both categories to 33 so far.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced in a speech he delivered on Thursday the pardon for dozens in a gesture of appeasement, as the protest movement that ousted former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power in 2019 regains momentum. Tebboune’s initiative comes ahead of the second anniversary of the February 22 movement, amid calls on social media to demonstrate on Monday to commemorate the day. Algeria is facing political and economic crises, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the oil-dependent economy.
Among those pardoned was prominent journalist Khaled Drareni, 40, who was released from El-Khalia prison on Friday, according to his lawyer, Abdel Ghani Badi, who added that his release is "temporary". Drareni was sentenced in August to three years in prison for covering the protest movement, and in September, his sentence was reduced by one year, although his supporters remained angry that it had not been completely overturned. In a video message on Twitter after his release, Drareni said: "I thank everyone who supported me and imprisoned opinion. Your support is essential proof of our innocence."
Agence France-Presse reported that Algerian authorities released more than 30 political activists under a presidential pardon following definitive prison sentences against them, including a prominent journalist, as part of the first batch released under a presidential pardon issued before the second anniversary of the February 22 movement.
