SHOAA for Human Rights is following with deep concern the developments in the case of journalist and poet Abdelali Mezghiche, who was brought on Monday, 9 February 2026, before the Public Prosecutor at Chéraga Court and subsequently referred to the investigating judge. After a preliminary hearing, an order was issued to place him in pre-trial detention at Koléa prison. He is being prosecuted on five (05) misdemeanor charges, including publishing content deemed harmful to the national interest and incitement to an unarmed gathering.
SHOAA strongly condemns this measure and considers the use of pre-trial detention in cases related to freedom of expression and journalistic work to be a troubling signal regarding the state of fundamental freedoms in Algeria. It reflects a continuing approach based on restriction rather than the protection of constitutionally guaranteed rights.
The organization reiterates that the presumption of innocence remains a fundamental constitutional principle, and that pre-trial detention is an exceptional measure that must not become the rule, particularly in cases involving peaceful expression. It stresses the need to uphold fair trial guarantees and the principle of proportionality between the alleged acts and the measures taken.
SHOAA recalls that Article 52 of the Algerian Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, while Article 54 explicitly guarantees freedom of the press as a cornerstone of media pluralism and the public’s right to access information. Any judicial proceedings related to peaceful expression or journalistic activity must therefore be conducted in a manner that safeguards these constitutional guarantees, rather than undermining or circumventing them.
This case comes amid a broader context of continued deterioration in the human rights and freedoms landscape in Algeria, marked by increasing prosecutions related to opinion and expression, shrinking space for independent media and civil society, and growing pressure on journalists and activists. The persistence of this trajectory poses a serious threat to freedom of expression and pluralism and calls for a responsible reassessment that restores respect for constitutional principles and strengthens the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.
