Algeria court increases prison term for prominent media boss: watchdog

An Algerian court of appeal on Sunday increased to seven years the prison term issued to a prominent media boss, but suspended two years, a watchdog said.

"Ihsane El Kadi was condemned to seven years in prison, including five behind bars with two suspended by the Alger Court of Appeal," North Africa representative for Reporters Without Borders, Khaled Drareni, said on Twitter.

"A totally incomprehensible verdict," he added.

يا للهول 😧!
سبعُ سنوات سجنًا في حق الصحفي #إحسان_القاضي، منها خمسٌ حبسًا نافذًا..!؟
ما الذّي يحدث في بلادي😡؟!#الجزائر pic.twitter.com/4fPGzt9f89

— salim salhi سليم صالحي الصفحة الرّسمية (@salimsalhi) June 18, 2023

Translation: Oh my God! Seven years prison for journalist Ihsane El Kadi, including five behind bars..!? What is happening in my country!?"

El Kadi is one of the last independent media bosses in the North African nation as director of the Maghreb Emergent news website and Radio M.

In April he had been sentenced to five years for "foreign financing of his business," in a case denounced by rights groups, but he was effectively serving three years because two were suspended.

Seven years is the maximum penalty under an article in Algeria's penal code which criminalises anyone who receives "funds, a grant or otherwise... to carry out acts capable of undermining state security".