Saïd Boudour faced terrorism charges for his human rights activism
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Name(s):
Saïd Boudour
Status:
Free
Year of birth:
1982
Profession:
Journalist, human rights defender, member of the Algerian League for Human Rights
Nationality:
Algerian
Date of arrest:
For several years, Saïd Boudour has suffered frequent harassment from the Algerian authorities because of his activities as an online journalist and human rights defender. Before the dissolution of the organisation, he was a member of the Algerian League for Human Rights (LADDH). Since April 2021, he has been facing terrorism charges related to his legitimate activities as a human rights defender. The case also includes human rights defenders Jamila Loukil and Kaddour Chouicha, as well as other activists involved in the “Hirak” protest movement. Saïd Boudour and his co-defendant were all acquitted on December 3, 2023.
For several years, Saïd Boudour has suffered frequent harassment from the Algerian authorities because of his activities as a journalist and human rights defender. He is particularly interested in the human rights of migrants and political prisoners in the context of the “Hirak” (the Algerian anti-government protest movement).
He was arrested several times between June 2016 and December 2018. In June 2018, he was arrested after attending a meeting of the Algerian League for Human Rights. He was then transferred to Algiers, to be prosecuted in connection with information he had shared concerning a drug seizure in Oran that involved several state officials.
Saïd Boudour was arrested again on October 6, 2019 and taken into custody at the Department of National Security in Oran. There, he was questioned about the anti-government content shared on his Facebook account. He was also questioned about other content, which he is not the author of, published via a hacked Facebook account. The next day, he was charged with the crimes of “harming the morale of the troops,” “harming the integrity of the national territory and national unity,” “defamation”, and “insulting state institutions.”
The investigating judge of the court of Oran accepted his request for a temporary release on October 7, 2019. Nevertheless, on October 15, the indictment division of the court decided to cancel the decision taken by the investigative judge.
On March 10, 2020, his case was transferred to the correctional court following the requalification of the charges. Saïd Boudour remains charged with “insulting a statutory body”, “defamation,” and “threats.” These charges refer to Facebook posts criticising the former Chief of Staff of the People's National Army Ahmed Gaïd Salah.
On April 23, 2021, Saïd Boudour was brutally arrested by five police officers while covering a Hirak demonstration in Oran. He reported being kicked, punched, slapped and insulted by the police. Charged with terrorism and plotting against the state, he has been held in police custody until April 29, 2021.
The Criminal Court of Oran sentenced Saïd Boudour in absentia to one year imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 Algerian Dinar on November 24, 2020. During a retrial on March 10, 2021, Saïd Boudour was sentenced to a two-month suspended prison sentence. He was released at the end of his trial.
On April 29, 2021, human rights defenders Saïd Boudour, Jamila Loukil and Kaddour Chouicha, along with 12 other peaceful activists, were prosecuted on terrorism-related charges.
The Oran public prosecutor charged Saïd Boudour with plotting against State security and undermining the integrity of national territory, propaganda likely to harm the national interest of foreign origin or inspiration, and membership of a terrorist or subversive organisation active abroad or in Algeria, under articles 77, 78, 87 bis, 87 bis 3, 87 bis 6 and 96 of the Criminal Code.
On the same day, Boudour was placed under judicial supervision, along with two other Hirak activists, and had to report to the police station every 15 days.
On June 17, 2021, several UN special procedures mandate holders sent a communication to the Algerian uthorities concerning Boudour, Jamila Loukil and Kaddour Chouicha. In this communication, the special procedures expressed their grave concern at the legal harassment to which the three human rights defenders are being subjected.
On August 4, 2022, the 5th Chamber of the Algiers specialised criminal court rejected an appeal to halt Boudour’s judicial supervision.
The terrorism trial, initially scheduled for June 15, 2023, was postponed several times before finally taking place on December 3, 2023, when the accused were acquitted by the Dar El Beida court. However, the prosecutor has appealed against this decision.
During her official visit to Algeria, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders was able to attend the trial on December 3. In her end of mission statement, she expressed major concerns about the authorities’ perception of Boudour, fearing that he might be subjected to heightened scrutiny solely due to his engagement in human rights activities.
| Name(s): |
Saïd Boudour
|
| Status: |
Free
|
| Year of birth: |
1982
|
| Profession: |
Journalist, human rights defender, member of the Algerian League for Human Rights
|
| Nationality: |
Algerian
|
| Date of arrest: |
|
For several years, Saïd Boudour has suffered frequent harassment from the Algerian authorities because of his activities as a journalist and human rights defender. He is particularly interested in the human rights of migrants and political prisoners in the context of the “Hirak” (the Algerian anti-government protest movement).
He was arrested several times between June 2016 and December 2018. In June 2018, he was arrested after attending a meeting of the Algerian League for Human Rights. He was then transferred to Algiers, to be prosecuted in connection with information he had shared concerning a drug seizure in Oran that involved several state officials.
Saïd Boudour was arrested again on October 6, 2019 and taken into custody at the Department of National Security in Oran. There, he was questioned about the anti-government content shared on his Facebook account. He was also questioned about other content, which he is not the author of, published via a hacked Facebook account. The next day, he was charged with the crimes of “harming the morale of the troops,” “harming the integrity of the national territory and national unity,” “defamation”, and “insulting state institutions.”
The investigating judge of the court of Oran accepted his request for a temporary release on October 7, 2019. Nevertheless, on October 15, the indictment division of the court decided to cancel the decision taken by the investigative judge.
On March 10, 2020, his case was transferred to the correctional court following the requalification of the charges. Saïd Boudour remains charged with “insulting a statutory body”, “defamation,” and “threats.” These charges refer to Facebook posts criticising the former Chief of Staff of the People's National Army Ahmed Gaïd Salah.
On April 23, 2021, Saïd Boudour was brutally arrested by five police officers while covering a Hirak demonstration in Oran. He reported being kicked, punched, slapped and insulted by the police. Charged with terrorism and plotting against the state, he has been held in police custody until April 29, 2021.
The Criminal Court of Oran sentenced Saïd Boudour in absentia to one year imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 Algerian Dinar on November 24, 2020. During a retrial on March 10, 2021, Saïd Boudour was sentenced to a two-month suspended prison sentence. He was released at the end of his trial.
On April 29, 2021, human rights defenders Saïd Boudour, Jamila Loukil and Kaddour Chouicha, along with 12 other peaceful activists, were prosecuted on terrorism-related charges.
The Oran public prosecutor charged Saïd Boudour with plotting against State security and undermining the integrity of national territory, propaganda likely to harm the national interest of foreign origin or inspiration, and membership of a terrorist or subversive organisation active abroad or in Algeria, under articles 77, 78, 87 bis, 87 bis 3, 87 bis 6 and 96 of the Criminal Code.
On the same day, Boudour was placed under judicial supervision, along with two other Hirak activists, and had to report to the police station every 15 days.
On June 17, 2021, several UN special procedures mandate holders sent a communication to the Algerian uthorities concerning Boudour, Jamila Loukil and Kaddour Chouicha. In this communication, the special procedures expressed their grave concern at the legal harassment to which the three human rights defenders are being subjected.
On August 4, 2022, the 5th Chamber of the Algiers specialised criminal court rejected an appeal to halt Boudour’s judicial supervision.
The terrorism trial, initially scheduled for June 15, 2023, was postponed several times before finally taking place on December 3, 2023, when the accused were acquitted by the Dar El Beida court. However, the prosecutor has appealed against this decision.
During her official visit to Algeria, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders was able to attend the trial on December 3. In her end of mission statement, she expressed major concerns about the authorities’ perception of Boudour, fearing that he might be subjected to heightened scrutiny solely due to his engagement in human rights activities.