Algerian Journalist Sentenced for Foreign Financing of Media Business
(MENAFN) Ihsane El-Kadi, a well-known journalist in Algeria, has been sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly receiving "foreign financing" for his media business. The court in Algiers delivered the verdict, which has been criticized by various human rights organizations. El-Kadi, who is the director of the Maghreb Emergent news website and Radio M, is considered one of the last independent media figures in the North African nation. However, he has now been handed a five-year sentence, with two years suspended.
In addition to the prison term, the court also ordered the dissolution of Interface Medias, the company that publishes El-Kadi's two outlets, and the confiscation of its assets. Moreover, the company was fined 10 million dinars, which is approximately $73,500, while El-Kadi himself was fined a separate 700,000 dinars.
El-Kadi's lawyer, Abdelghani Badi, has announced plans to appeal the verdict, citing the "absence of just trial conditions" during the proceedings. The defense team had boycotted the session on Sunday to protest the alleged unfairness of the trial.
The case of Ihsane El-Kadi has sparked concern among press freedom advocates, who have criticized the Algerian government's crackdown on independent media outlets. They argue that such actions undermine the country's democracy and violate the right to free expression. The verdict has also drawn attention to the challenges faced by journalists and media professionals in Algeria, who operate in a climate of censorship, intimidation, and harassment.
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