Suspended prison sentence for Algerian opposition figure

Algerian opposition figure Karim Tabbou was sentenced on Wednesday by an Algerian court in Algiers to six months of suspended prison, notably for "incitement to unarmed gathering" and "defamation," as reported by a human rights NGO.

Karim Tabbou, aged 49, was sentenced by the Bir Mourad Rais court to "6 months of suspended prison and a fine of 50,000 dinars (340 euros)" for calling for unauthorized demonstrations. He was found guilty of "incitement to unarmed gathering, insulting a civil servant in the exercise of their duties, and defamation," according to the National Committee for the Liberation of Detainees (CNLD).

However, Mr. Tabbou was acquitted of other charges against him, including "disrespect for the deceased," "undermining the integrity of the national territory," and "making recordings and photos available to the public without the consent of the concerned party," according to the CNLD.

The prosecutor had requested a one-year prison sentence and a fine of 100,000 dinars (680 euros), according to the CNLD.

As the leader of an opposition party not recognized by the authorities, the Union for Democratic and Social (UDS), Karim Tabbou is one of the most prominent figures of the pro-democracy protest movement, known as the Hirak, marked by significant demonstrations from February 2019 until early 2020. Mr. Tabbou had served a one-year prison term after being convicted in March 2020 for "undermining national security," due to a video on his party's Facebook account criticizing the military's interference in political affairs.