Rabat – Algeria’s regime has sparked controversy for its decision to sentence a 22-year-old man to two years in prison for wearing Morocco’s football jersey during a JS Kabaylie match.
Activist Messouda Cheballah revealed the fan’s case before his arrest and sentencing sparked backlash on TikTok and other platforms.
Critics reported that no Algerian outlet addressed the incident.
Abderrahmane Semmar, a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Algeria Part, dedicated a full episode on his YouTube channel on the young man and his arrest.
“No Algerian media outlet talked about it. None. Yet on social media, these posters flooded Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and to a lesser extent; YouTube,” he said.
Semmar emphasized that people are urging Algerian authorities to release the young man, emphasizing that football is not a crime.
“No one wanted to conform or deny it. At first, many said it was fake news spread by Moroccan media…. However; the information is unfortunately true,” Semmar said, citing Algerian critics who revealed the case even before Moroccan media or social networks picked it up.
For Semmar, just because Moroccan media talked about this case does not mean it is fake news. He says that even the family of the young man is terrified and does not want to say anything about his case.
“He did not wear the Moroccan jersey to attack national unity or threaten the territorial integrity of Algeria. Wearing the Moroccan jersey is not a crime. Many Moroccans have worn the Algerian jersey too, and no one suggested imprisoning them,” Semmar added.
The case of the young fan is not surprising as Algeria’s regime has been linked to several similar incidents, including using charges like conspiracy, espionage, and terrorism against activists, journalists, and bloggers who post content countering the country’s agenda.
Semmar is part of those Algeria has specifically targeted. In 2022, an Algerian court even handed the journalist a death penalty sentence in response to his involvement in leaking confidential information about deals belonging to Algeria’s oil authority Sonatrach.
Targeting journalists has become a common trend in Algeria, with many observers and NGOs condemning the regime’s repression against opposition voices.
In 2021, a group of UN experts called for the international community to intervene to end the repressive use of anti-terrorism law against protesters in Algeria.
The experts condemned the use and “misappropriation of anti-terrorism laws” to prosecute those defending human rights, including journalists, in the North African country.