Maghreb Edition

Algeria: Court releases blogger Merzoug TouatiF

Posted On 5 March 2019

Number of times this article was read : 328

Algiers, March 4, 2019 (AFP) – An Algerian court ordered a blogger released on time served Monday after finding him guilty of colluding with a foreign power at a retrial, his lawyer said. Merzoug Touati, 30, has been through a roller-coaster legal process since he was arrested in January 2017 after an online interview with an Israeli
official. His seven-year jail sentence was quashed in January, but he was kept in custody to face a fresh trial.

On Monday he was found guilty again but handed a reduced two-year custodial sentence, meaning he was set to walk free, lawyer Salah Dabouz told AFP. Rights activist Said Salhi said supporters were waiting outside the prison for Touati to complete formalities and be released.

Algeria has no diplomatic ties with Israel. In addition to conducting an interview with a foreign ministry spokesman from the Jewish state, Touati in a Facebook post called for protests against a new financial law in Algeria prior to his arrest. Rights groups have condemned the case against Touati, with Amnesty International saying he was being persecuted “solely for expressing his peaceful opinion online”.

The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Egypt Names New Defense Minister in Reshuffle Amid Regional StrainF

Egypt’s latest cabinet reshuffle brought a new defense minister, revived the Information Ministry, and changed multiple economic and service portfolios. From Cairo’s standpoint, the move is designed to tighten execution, stabilize institutions, and preserve strategic flexibility as Egypt manages economic strain and a more volatile regional environment.

Morocco: Employment Gains Concentrate in Urban Centers as Rural Areas Fall Behind✓

Morocco’s labor market showed strong job creation in 2025, but the gains were overwhelmingly concentrated in urban areas. While cities absorbed nearly all new employment, rural regions continued to lose jobs, exposing a widening divide that leaves young people, women, and rural workers increasingly disconnected from the recovery.

Cyclone Harry’s Hidden Toll: NGOs Fear Up to 1,000 Migrants Lost at Sea$

Up to 1,000 migrants may have vanished in the Central Mediterranean during Cyclone Harry, far more than the 380 people officially listed as missing by maritime authorities, according to humanitarian groups working on the Tunisia–Libya route. The Italian NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans says testimonies from coastal communities around Sfax and from migrants’ families suggest dozens of boats sailed into the storm and never returned, turning what was reported as a series of shipwrecks into what advocates describe as a “hidden catastrophe” at sea.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.