Abdennour Abdesselam

An ethnic minority rights advocate, Abdesselam was arrested on September 13, 2021 on charges of “belonging to a terrorist organization,” and was accused of being connected to the Movement… More

Said Djabelkhir

Said Djabelkhir

Scholar Djabelkhir was—without notice—charged with “offending the precepts of Islam” after writing 3 Facebook posts of “academic reflections” on the Quran and Islamic traditions in 2020. In April 2021,… More

Anouar Rahmani

Since 2017, Rahmani has been threatened with legal action for content in his books, including a gay relationship and a depiction of God. In November 2020, he was found… More

Mohamed Tajadit

Tajadit is affectionately called the “poet of the Hirak” for his poetry that comments on politics in Algeria. He was arrested in August 2020 for his involvement in a… More

Abdelhamid Amine Nime

Cartoonist Amine, best known as Nime, was arrested in December 2019 after posting caricatures critical of the military in the weeks preceding a controversial presidential election. He was released… More

Abdullah Benaoum

Benaoum has been repeatedly arrested since 2018 for criticizing the government both online and via protests. Arrested in late 2019, Benaoum was sentenced to multiple charges extending his imprisonment.… More

Abdelmoundji Khelladi

Khelladi publishes his writing about politics online and in independent outlets. He was covering a protest when officers arrested him on October 7, 2019, holding him in detention for… More

Writers at Risk Database

Mohammed Benchicou

Former director of daily newspaper Le Matin, Benchicou was arrested in 2003 on pretense of a currency violation. Though released in 2006, he was forced to shutter his newspaper… More

Mohammed Benchicou

Mohammed Benchicou | Status: Released | Algeria

Mohammed Benchicou is the former director of Le Matin, a private daily newspaper that maintained an independent, critical editorial line toward the Algerian government. On August 23, 2003, Benchicou was… More