URGENT ACTION

ACTIVIST AND POET FACES FIVE YEARS IN PRISON
On 20 January 2025, only four days after his arrest, an Algiers court sentenced renowned Hirak activist and poet Mohamed Tadjadit to five years in prison under expedited proceedings which undermined his right to a fair trial. His appeal trial is scheduled on 17 April. He was convicted on vague charges for his social media posts and digital communications criticizing the political and socioeconomic situation in Algeria. Since 2019, Algerian authorities have repeatedly targeted Mohamed Tadjadit for his peaceful activism. They must quash his conviction and sentence, release him immediately and unconditionally, drop all charges related to his peaceful criticism of authorities and stop criminalizing peaceful activism.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

President of the Republic of Algeria
Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Presidence de la republique
Place Mohammed Seddik Benyahiya, El Mouradia,
Alger 16000 Algérie; Fax: +213 021691595
Email: President@el-mouradia.dz

Your Excellency,

I write to you to urge you to ensure that the five-year sentence against peaceful activist and poet Mohamed Tadjadit is overturned following his appeal trial on 17 April, that all charges against him are dropped and that he is released immediately and unconditionally. His conviction and sentence stem solely from the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and amount to a misuse of the justice system to suppress dissent.

On 20 January 2025, the Rouiba Court in Algiers sentenced renowned activist Mohamed Tadjadit, known as the “poet of the Hirak”, to five years in prison and a DZD 200,000 fine (EUR 1,342). The court convicted him of “undermining national unity”, “publishing content harmful to national interest”, “inciting to an unarmed gathering” and “offending public bodies” based solely on his recent social media publications and digital communications expressing dissatisfaction with the political and socioeconomic situation in Algeria. These include posts relaying the “#Manich_Radi” (“I am not satisfied”) hashtag, which was part of a social media campaign initiated in December 2024 by fellow Hirak activists to highlight dissatisfaction with the current government, and poetry with political messages denouncing injustice.

Police arrested Mohamed Tadjadit on 16 January 2025 at his home in a suburb of Algiers, seized his phone and held him in custody for three days without visits from his family or a lawyer. Authorities tried Mohamed Tadjadit in expedited proceedings without sufficient time to prepare his legal defense, thus undermining his right to a fair trial. 

Since 2019, the Algerian authorities have detained and prosecuted Mohamed Tadjadit in at least six separate cases, all related to his peaceful activism and expression of dissenting views.

I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Mohamed Tadjadit, to quash his conviction and sentence, to drop other charges against him related to his exercise of his right to freedom of expression and to stop misusing the criminal justice system against him and other activists and artists. 

Yours sincerely,
Additional information

On 20 January 2025, the Rouiba court in Algiers convicted activist Mohamed Tadjadit, 31, also known as the "poet of the Hirak" under expedited trial proceedings, sentencing him to five years in prison and a fine of DZD 200,000 (EUR 1,342), solely based on content he posted on Facebook and TikTok in which he criticized the Algerian government and online communications with other activists. The charges stemmed from his posts relaying the “#Manich_Radi” hashtag (I am not satisfied) – popularized by Hirak activists in December 2024 as part of a social media campaign to protest the current political and socioeconomic conditions in Algeria -- and his poetry with political messages denouncing various injustices. He is currently held at El Harrach prison in Algiers. An appeal trial is set for 17 April 2025, after several postponements.
The Rouiba court found him guilty of “undermining national unity”, “publishing content harmful to national interest” “inciting unarmed gatherings” and “offending public bodies” respectively under Articles 79, 96, 100 and 146 of the Penal Code – provisions which lack legal clarity and do not sanction a legitimate offense under international law. The prosecution accused the activist of sharing subversive content that incited public disorder and distrust for public institutions, which they claim was exploited by foreign parties against Algeria, specifically the Moroccan press and an Israeli social media account. Such content included videos in which Mohamed Tadjadit recited his poems and posts calling for the return of the Hirak movement, as well as those calling for a “civil, not military, state”, criticizing recent political and judicial decisions and defending freedom of expression.
Between 2019 and 2024, Mohamed Tadjadit was detained and prosecuted in at least six different cases, all related to his exercise of his right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Mohamed Tadjadit stated publicly that he has been subjected to constant police surveillance and harassment. The activist is currently prosecuted in at least one other case for bogus terrorism charges, for which he spent nine months in pre-trial detention between January and November 2024. On 1 November 2024, authorities released Mohamed Tadjadit as part of a broader presidential pardon for prisoners, which included at least 23 detained activists and journalists. 
On 23 January 2025, the European Parliament issued a resolution which includes a call for Mohamed Tadjadit's release. 
Since the outbreak of the “Hirak” protests in 2019, demanding broad political reforms, the Algerian authorities have maintained a brutal crackdown on peaceful dissent by arresting, detaining and convicting activists, journalists and ordinary citizens expressing opposition to the government or other opinions critical of the regime. The use of vague terrorism charges to prosecute peaceful protesters and critics of the regime has become a common tool for suppressing human rights. 

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: French, Arabic and English.
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 14 October 2025.
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PRONOUN: Mohamed Tadjadit (he/him).
Additional targets

His Excellency Mr Nourredine Yazid
Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary    
People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria 
1-3 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7DR 
Phone: 020 7299 7077
Fax: 020 7299 7076
Email: info@algerianembassy.org.uk  
Salutation: Your Excellency