The support committees for Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni, sentenced to three years in prison, called for his “
immediate
”
release on Friday 11 September
because of his “
particularly worrying
”
state of health
, according to a press release from Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Read also: Algeria: new prison sentence against a journalist
"
The support committees of Khaled Drareni, Algerian and international, jointly call on the Algerian authorities to return to reason, to the law and to immediately and unconditionally release Khaled Drareni, whose state of health is becoming particularly worrying,
" said RSF. .
"
It is becoming urgent to put an end to the judicial harassment of which he is the target, because the unfair proceedings against him endanger his health,
" he added in the statement.
During his appeal on Tuesday in Algiers, the director of the online news site Casbah Tribune and correspondent for TV5 Monde and RSF in Algeria "
appeared very thin, but also very weakened
», Says RSF.
The prosecution requested, as at first instance, four years in prison and a fine of 50,000 dinars (330 euros) against the journalist who again categorically rejected the charges against him, claiming to have simply done his job.
The verdict is expected next Tuesday.
The national support committee for Mr. Drareni, created on August 12, is made up of lawyers, journalists, associations and Algerian citizens.
He organizes rallies every Monday in Algiers which each time bring together dozens of journalists, human rights activists and supporters.
The international support committee, which was created on July 23, has launched an awareness campaign under the hashtag #WeAreKhaled.
Incarcerated since March 29 at the Koléa penitentiary center near Algiers, Khaled Drareni was sentenced on August 10 to three years' imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 dinars (330 euros) for "
inciting unarmed assembly
" and "
attack on national unity
”.
A verdict of unprecedented severity that surprised and indignant his colleagues.
He was arrested in Algiers on March 7 while covering a demonstration of "
Hirak
", the popular uprising that rocked Algeria for more than a year until its suspension a few years ago. 146th place out of 180 in the 2020 RSF World Press Freedom Index.
It lost five places compared to 2019 and 27 compared to 2015.
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