ALGIERS: Algerian journalist Rabah Kareche left prison on Tuesday after completing a six-month sentence for “spreading false news,” his newspaper Liberte said.
“Our reporter Rabah Kareche is free again after six months behind bars in Tamanrasset prison” in the country’s desert south, it reported on its website.
An appeals court had sentenced Kareche on October 11 to six months in prison plus six months suspended, a two-month reduction from his original sentence.
His release came as he had already served much of sentence during his trial and appeal.
Kareche was arrested in April after reporting the Tuareg, a Berber minority who have long complained of economic and social marginalization, had protested over “expropriation” of their historical lands.
He was sentenced on August 12 to eight months behind bars plus four months suspended for “spreading false information liable to damage public order.”
He was also accused of posting reports that could trigger “segregation and hatred within society.”
“I’m the victim of a grave injustice,” Liberte quoted him saying as he left prison.
“I did nothing more than my job as a journalist with professionalism.”
Algeria ranks a lowly 146th out of 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index.
Algeria journalist freed after 6 months’ jail for ‘false news’
https://arab.news/mmvb6
Algeria journalist freed after 6 months’ jail for ‘false news’
- ‘Our reporter Rabah Kareche is free again after six months behind bars in Tamanrasset prison’
- Algeria ranks a lowly 146th out of 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index
Saudi Media Forum expects large rollout of speakers, panels ahead of 5th edition
- More than 300 participants expected to discuss issues, challenges facing sector
- Leading platform for media exchange will explore ways to keep pace with a rapidly changing world
RIYADH: The fifth edition of the Saudi Media Forum due to kick off in early February is expected to attract more than 300 participants across hundreds of panels.
The forum aims to explore the future of media in a rapidly transforming world, reflecting the dynamic cultural and developmental landscape of the Saudi Arabia.
High-level editors, reporters, and speakers include Karen Elliott House, former executive editor of The Wall Street Journal; Julie Pace, executive editor and senior vice president of the Associated Press; and Ben Smith, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the global news platform Semafor.
The forum is a leading Saudi platform for media exchange and cooperation, fostering capacity building, stimulating innovation, and building bridges of communication locally and globally.
The fifth edition reaffirms the forum’s status as a pivotal event in the year of media transformation, bringing together the most prominent media figures to discuss the issues and challenges facing the sector, and ways to keep pace with a rapidly changing world.
The forum includes the Future of Media Exhibition, which will bring together government entities and private companies, both local and international, under one roof. Exhibitor pavilions will showcase the latest products and contributions in media, radio, and television. These pavilions, alongside the dedicated presentation platform, provide an opportunity for participants to share their innovations and specialized services with visitors.
The exhibition’s main stage will offer comprehensive insights into the media sector through panel discussions, dialogues, and workshops featuring local and international speakers, while also providing opportunities for signing cooperation agreements and partnerships.
