An independent journalist and fervent press freedom advocate, Ihsane El Kadi is the director of the Algerian radio station Radio M and the news website Maghreb Émergent, media outlets that are critical of the authorities and the military in Algeria.
“He has for years been the target of political and judicial harassment and growing intimidation by the authorities, which have included arrests and criminal proceedings,” the NGO wrote in a plea posted on its website.
This time, after being summoned twice in November for questioning by the security services, he was taken into custody on 24 December, his two media outlets were shut down the next day, and he was transferred to prison four days later, added the same source.
El Kadi’s arrest set off a big outcry and has given rise to a major international support campaign, waged in particular by RSF, which referred the case to the United Nations and organized a joint appeal for his release by 16 international media owners and editors, including Novaya Gazeta editor Dmitry Muratov, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.
