Algerian 'Hirak poet' facing death sentence begins hunger strike

Campaigners have called for the release of Algerian poet and activist Mohamed Tadjadit, who could face a death sentence in his country over what they say is his criticism of the government and calls for reform.

Tadjadit, who Amnesty International said has been "arbitrarily detained" since January, began a hunger strike on Sunday over his treatment in prison.

Dubbed "the poet of the Hirak" during Algeria's 2019 mass pro-democracy protests, he became prominent for his public recitations during demonstrations which eventually forced the resignation of longtime president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

On 11 November, he was handed a five-year prison sentence on a range of charges including "condoning terrorism", "supporting terrorist organisations" and "spreading extremist ideas". 

Rights groups, including Amnesty and PEN America, condemned a verdict made over "baseless" allegations. "His prosecution sends an alarming signal to others who raise their voices for human rights and the rule of law in Algeria," the organisations said in a statement.

At a new trial on 30 November, Tadjadit will face further accusations of “conspiring to incite citizens against the authority of the state and to undermine national unity”, a criminal charge punishable by the death penalty. Algeria has a moratorium on executions and has not carried out any since 1993.

He will be tried in this case along with 12 other activists, including whistle-blowers and former members of the military, Mohamed Benhlima and Mohamed Abdellah; and Hirak activists Malik Riahi, Noureddine Khimoud, Souheib Debbaghi, Ahmed Tarek Debbaghi, Mustapha Guira and Sofiane Rebai.

'Mohamed Tadjadit is truly inspiring, a brilliant artist who uses his voice for the good of others. He has suffered deeply as a result'

- Jemimah Steinfeld, CEO of Index on Censorship

Rights group Index on Censorship, which on Wednesday awarded Tadjadit its Freedom of Expression Award in the arts category, called on the Algeria authorities to immediately release the poet.

"Mohamed Tadjadit is truly inspiring, a brilliant artist who uses his voice for the good of others. He has suffered deeply as a result," Jemimah Steinfeld, CEO of Index on Censorship, told Middle East Eye.

"We're pleased to stand beside him but distressed by his current treatment. We hope this reward will give him the international attention he deserves and ensure that more people around the world join our calls to 'free Mohamed'." 

Tadjadit has been imprisoned at least six times between 2019 and 2025.

He was released from his last prison sentence in November last year under a presidential pardon before being arrested again in January and sentenced to five years in jail in a separate case before an appeal reduced that term to one year.

Protest crackdown

After the Covid-19 crisis and the authorities' crackdown on the second anniversary of the Hirak in 2021, pro-democracy marches stopped.

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According to Amnesty, "the Algerian authorities have maintained a relentless crackdown on peaceful dissent by arresting, detaining and convicting activists, journalists and critics expressing opposition to the government’s policies or other opinions critical of the authorities", using "vague terrorism-related charges to prosecute peaceful protesters and critics".

While the Hirak has largely been repressed, there have still been intermittent protests against the current leadership, which is supported by the National Liberation Front.

The party of former President Bouteflika has largely dominated Algeria since independence from France in 1962 and is seen as undemocratic and corrupt by much of the population.

The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria in December sparked off renewed criticism in the country, with Algerians warning the authorities of a similar fate via the hashtag #Manich_Radhi or "I am not happy, satisfied" trending on social media.

In response, the government arrested a range of people for sharing the slogan, including Tadjadit.

According to human rights defenders, there are between 200 and 250 prisoners of conscience in Algeria, mainly linked to the 2019 protest movement.