Algeria has granted a pardon to a prominent journalist who played a significant role in the country's 2019 pro-democracy demonstrations. Ihsane El Kadi, known for his involvement in the protests, was imprisoned for receiving foreign funding for his media outlets and allegedly posing a threat to state security.
El Kadi, along with eight others critical of the government, was released from prison on Thursday evening. This decision coincided with the 70th anniversary of the beginning of Algeria's revolution, a date historically marked by presidential pardons.
According to Fetta Saddat, one of El Kadi's legal representatives, the journalist was freed from El Harrah prison following a presidential pardon. His conviction stemmed from accusations of accepting foreign financing for Radio M and Maghreb Emergent, two media platforms that played a pivotal role in the Hirak protests that ultimately led to the resignation of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune signed clemency decrees resulting in the release of approximately 4,000 individuals on Thursday. Among those granted clemency were individuals convicted of minor offenses and others charged with 'undermining public order,' a common accusation used by Algerian authorities against dissidents.
