Renowned Franco-Algerian activist Amira Bouraoui has been handed a 10-year prison sentence by the Constantine court in Algeria. The sentence was pronounced in absentia, as Bouraoui had sought refuge in France prior to the ruling.
Amira Bouraoui, a prominent figure in the political activism landscape, first rose to prominence in the mid-2010s as part of the Barakat Movement, which opposed then-President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fourth consecutive term.
Amira Bouraoui also played an active role in the 2019 Hirak mass protests, which ultimately led to Bouteflika’s resignation.
The case has ignited a diplomatic dispute between Algeria and France, with Algeria labelling Bouraoui’s flight to France as an “illegal exfiltration”. However, this dispute has since been resolved.
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Adding to the controversy, journalist Mustapha Bendjama, accused of facilitating Bouraoui’s escape, was sentenced to six months in prison. This is the time he had already served following his arrest in February. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his release, Bendjama was due to be released on Tuesday after having already served nine months of “arbitrary detention”.
This case has shone a spotlight on the ongoing challenges faced by activists and journalists in Algeria, drawing international attention to the state of freedom of speech and political dissent in the country.