Algeria: Media provocateur, Anis Rahmani, gets five years in prison

Posted On 16 November 2020

Number of times this article was read : 618

The head of Algeria’s top private media group was jailed for five years on Sunday, the company said, the toughest sentence handed to a press mogul in the North African country. Anis Rahmani, chief of the Ennahar group, is the latest figure close to the clan of former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be handed a heavy penal sentence. He was accused of recording and broadcasting a telephone conversation witha senior intelligence officer, resulting in a range of charges including “defamation of the army” and recording communications without consent.

“Five years’ prison for Anis Rahmani in the Colonel Ismail case,” Ennahar said in a tweet, adding that he had also been fined 100,000 dinars ($770). Rahmani, whose real name is Mohamed Mokaddem, was arrested in February on offences including “breach of exchange regulations”, “blackmail to gain undue advantage” and “holding foreign bank accounts”, according to several Algerian private media outlets. He has admitted to recording the conversation but denied any criminal wrongdoing.

Established in 2012, Ennahar TV broadcasts nationwide and claims to be “the first news channel in Algeria”. Rahmani’s case follows a string of convictions against figures close to Bouteflika, who quit office in April last year amid mass demonstrations and pressure from the army, ending two decades in power. The Hirak anti-government protest movement had called for far-reaching reforms to the ruling system in place since Algeria’s independence. Many fear however that the ensuing trials against figures including Bouteflika’s once-powerful brother Said were part of a struggle between regime clans rather than a genuine reform effort.

AFP
Other Articles in this Week's Issue<< Algeria: Covid upsurge prompts Algeria to impose new restrictionsPodcast: NGOs in the Sahel: Operating in an increasingly challenging environment >>
The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Book: Lafarge Group and the Islamic State

Book: Lafarge Group and the Islamic State

Lafarge’s indictment for financing terrorism reveals corporate entanglements with ISIS to maintain operations in Syria. In Personne morale, Justine Augier exposes how multinationals like Lafarge navigate ethics and profit in conflict zones, raising questions on global accountability.

Is Morocco Quietly Preparing for Royal Succession?

Morocco’s royal succession is in the spotlight as King Mohammed VI faces health challenges. Key figures, including Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, are preparing for a potential transition. This shift may lead Morocco toward a more conservative future, impacting the kingdom’s stability and modernization

Algeria boosts defense budget to tackle cross-border threats

Algeria boosts defense budget to tackle cross-border threats

Algeria’s draft Finance Law for the year 2025 earmarks record spending for its military and defense.  The Ministry of Defense, which oversees the country’s armed forces, will receive more than US$25 billion, an increase of over 10% compared to 2024.  The move is...

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.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This