May 18, 2021, Algiers - The police arrested journalist Kenza Khattou, a reporter for local independent news website Radio M, on May 14 for covering an anti-government protest. The protests in the capital have been ongoing since 2019 despite immense police repression and are routinely covered by the press. Those who were arrested alongside Khattou also alleged that the police used violence while detaining them.

Since 2019, protestors have gathered on the streets of Algiers every Tuesday and Friday to protest the actions of the government. The movement has popularly been termed Hirak Rif. The initial demand of the demonstrators was the resignation of then president Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The protestors, however, continued to mobilize even after Bouteflika’s resignation in April 2019, calling for the end of the military regime and transfer of power to civilian political groups. Their protests have routinely met with violence from police officers armed in riot gear, however the only time the protests halted was during the coronavirus outbreak in the country in 2020. 

The Interior Ministry, on Sunday May 9, warned the protestors that any march which takes place without official authorization would be considered illegal. The police then cracked down on the protest that predictably took place on Friday, May 14, and arrested at least 15 journalists other than Kenza Khattou. Those detained include:

1. Farida Cherrad, a reporter for local news website Tariq News

2. Widad Laoued, a reporter for Tariq News

3. Souhil Baghdadi, a photographer for local independent daily Al-Watan

4. Sami Kharoum, a photographer for Al-Watan

5. Sid Ahmed Belouchrani (also known as Sid Walinés), a reporter for local independent news website Maghreb Émergent

6. Lynda Abbou, a reporter for Maghreb Émergent

7. Khaled Drareni, director of the independent news website Casbah Tribune

8. Feriel Bouaziz, a reporter for the independent news website Interlignes

9. Hakim Hammiche, a freelance photographer

10. Larbi Lounes, a photographer for local news website Horizons

11. Djaafer Kheloufi, a reporter for Russian state-run news outlet Sputnik

12. Riad Kermadi, a photographer for Agence France-Presse

13. Nassim Abdelaziz, a photographer for Reuters

14. Mustapha Bastami, a reporter for the independent news website Al-Khabar

15. Yacine Benrabia, a freelance journalist

They were identified to the Committee to Protect Journalists by Bouzid Ichalalene and Mustapha Bendjama, the journalists’ legal representation.

While all of them were released after three hours of questioning without charge, Khattou remains in police custody, with the courts extending her pretrial detention by 24 hours everyday. According to journalist Khaled Drareni, who was also detained at the site, the police used violence with Khattou at the time of arrest as well.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism expresses its great concern at the blatant violation of the right to free press by the Algerian authorities. It cannot be forgotten that governments are civil servants, and all civilians hold the right to protest, and their actions be given coverage. Cracking down on protest demonstrations and arresting journalists without charge is deeply undemocratic. It is of utmost importance then that Kenza Khattou is immediately released and authorities refrain from detaining journalists in the future.