UN experts said on April 28, 2026, that the Algerian court must cancel the trial of activist Mohamed Tadjadit, warning that the reclassification of charges against him could expose him to the death penalty.
The experts expressed concern over the decision to requalify charges for which he had already been tried in March 2022, stressing that retrying him on the same facts constitutes a violation of the principle of double jeopardy.
They also recalled that his previous detention was deemed arbitrary and that his right to a fair trial had been violated, noting that he was punished for exercising his right to freedom of expression and his peaceful human rights activism.
The experts criticized ongoing restrictions on freedom of expression in Algeria, as well as the use of the judicial system to intimidate dissenting voices, particularly through serious charges such as terrorism based on vague legal provisions.
They concluded by urging Algerian authorities to drop all new charges, emphasizing that they do not meet the threshold of “most serious crimes” required for the death penalty, and calling for the cancellation of the trial and respect for fundamental rights.
Read UN Experts press statement, click here
