Algeria: 14,000 prisoners pardoned under presidential Eid Al-Adha amnesty

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune pardoned nearly 14,000 prisoners on Sunday who are not accused of “terrorism crimes, vandalism, corruption or conspiracy against the state,” Anadolu has reported.

According to a statement on Facebook, Tebboune signed two decrees, the first of which grants amnesty for imprisoned and non-imprisoned persons sentenced to 12 months or less in prison, or who have less than 12 months to serve a longer sentence. The second decree granted amnesty for “detainees who have succeeded in education and vocational training, and who have completed their middle school or secondary school education.” The presidential pardon also includes holders of a university degree or a certificate of vocational training, provided that they have 24 months or less of their sentence left.

The Algerian president also pardoned more than 100 prisoners and detained activists belonging to the Hirak protest movement last Wednesday in the run-up to Eid Al-Adha. A similar decision was made ten days earlier to pardon 18 detainees.

Human rights organisations and opposition parties in Algeria have been calling for months for President Tebboune to release those arrested in the Hirak rallies or because of social media posts.

READ: Algeria releases dozens of activists after presidential pardon