Police arrested Tamalt, a freelance journalist with dual Algerian and British nationality, near his parents’ house in Algiers. On June 28, they brought him before the First Instance Court of Sidi Mhamed in Algiers, where an investigative judge ordered his detention for “offending the president” and “defaming a public authority” under articles 144bis and 146 of the penal code.Continue Reading at Human Rights Watch.
The charges against Tamalt were for posts on his Facebook page that included a video he shared on April 2, showing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika greeting former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and a poem containing insulting verses about Bouteflika. The video was also uploaded to his online journal.
Even though these offenses carry no prison terms but only fines, the court ordered his detention pending trial. The court rejected his request for bail on July 4, prompting his lawyers to walk out in protest at what they considered to be arbitrary detention, one of his lawyers, Noureddine Benissad, told Human Rights Watch. He said that during a hearing on July 11, the court added a charge for an offense against a public official, under article 144, which provides for up to two years in prison. The same day, the court convicted Tamalt and sentenced him to two years in prison for this offense and imposed a 200,000 dinars (US$1,800) fine.
Posted in Poetry News on Wednesday, August 31st, 2016 by Harriet Staff.
NOTE: As you all anticipate for BEAUTY OF WORDS 2, we will also be keeping you updated on current, and trending news on poetry and we will also be sharing classic poetry. So, watch this space.
BEAUTY OF WORDS2
DATE: Sat, 15th October, 2016
TIME: RedCarpet-4pm = Main Event-5pm
VENUE: Plot 1610B, Alhaji Masha Rd, Off Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere,
Lagos.
Gate fee: #500
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