Algiers, March 4, 2019 (AFP) – An Algerian court ordered a blogger released on time served Monday after finding him guilty of colluding with a foreign power at a retrial, his lawyer said. Merzoug Touati, 30, has been through a roller-coaster legal process since he was arrested in January 2017 after an online interview with an Israeliofficial. His seven-year jail sentence was quashed in January, but he was kept in custody to face a fresh trial. Rights activist Said Salhi said supporters were waiting outside the prison for Touati to complete formalities and be released. Rights groups have condemned the case against Touati, with Amnesty International saying he was being persecuted “solely for expressing his peaceful opinion online”.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 05, 2019 04:18 UTC