The arrests took place on Thursday evening, two days before the early elections. A vote in which Algerian voters are called to elect 407 deputies for the future National Assembly. It is rejected by Hirak and by part of the opposition. One of the challenges will also be turnout, low during the 2019 presidential election and the referendum on the revision of the constitution at the end of last year.
as reported from Algiers, Magali Lagrange
Karim Tabbou was arrested near his home, according to his brother who published a message on social media in the evening. The opponent had been under judicial control since late April, following a discussion with the president of an official body, the CNDH. Figure of Hirak, he spent several months in custody, between September 2019 and July 2020.
Another arrest was reported on Thursday night, journalist Ihsan el-Kadi. The director of Radio M and the emerging Maghreb news site had also been under judicial scrutiny for more than three weeks and was specifically accused of “broadcasting false information that could undermine national unity”, “disruption of elections” and “resumption of the national tragedy” on 1990s.
Human rights defenders condemn increased repression ahead of the election, resulting in arrests and prosecutions of opponents, hirakists, lawyers and journalists. The National Committee for the Liberation of Detinees currently lists more than 220 people incarcerated for acts related to Hirak or individual liberties.
Journalist Khaled Drareni, imprisoned for almost eleven months and released in February last year, has been inaccessible since Thursday night. The organization Reporters Without Borders, for which he is a correspondent, expresses its concern.
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