Algeria - July 2025

On 9 July, an appeal court upheld the convictions of three former presidential hopefuls, reducing their prison sentences from ten years to four, for electoral fraud linked to payments made to public officials to obtain the signatures required to register as candidates in the 2024 presidential elections. The case originated from an investigation initiated in August 2024 into the alleged purchase of endorsement signatures, which led to their disqualification from the race. Throughout the proceedings, criticized by their lack of transparency, the defendants maintained that the charges against them were politically motivated. Observers also criticized the judicial process, citing procedural irregularities, including detention orders being issued before deliberation and the leaking of draft judgments.

Sources: Jeune Afrique, TSA Algerie, Africa News, The New Arab, Radio France International, SHOAA for Human Rights, Women Journalists Without Chains