Shield and Alert: Maghreb Bound

An Algerian court sentenced former labor minister Hassen Tidjani Haddam to seven years in prison for embezzling nearly $45 million from the National Social Security Fund, as part of a wider anti-corruption campaign.

Spanish prosecutors seek major prison sentences and fines for politicians and business leaders accused of paying bribes to win Algerian public contracts in a decade-long corruption scandal.

Hundreds of young Moroccans rallied for better schools, hospitals, and jobs in cities nationwide, sparking clashes with police and highlighting frustration over government spending priorities.

Moroccan activist Ibtissame Lachgar has been placed in police custody following a controversial social media post that featured a slogan deemed offensive to Islam. The incident highlights the legal risks faced by human rights advocates under Morocco’s penal code, which criminalizes insulting the Islamic religion.