By Canadian Press

Canadian anti-crime researcher sentenced to two years in prison in Algeria

Aug 29, 2023 | 8:34 AM

MONTREAL — The lawyer for a Canadian researcher detained in Algeria since February says his client has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Raouf Farrah, who studies migration and criminal economies for an international anti-crime non-governmental organization, had been charged with publishing secret information and being paid to commit offences against public order.

His father, Sebti Farrah, a Montreal-area resident, received a one-year suspended sentence from the same court in the eastern Algerian city of Constantine. 

Farrah’s lawyer, Kouceila Zerguine, says he plans to appeal the verdict.

Human Rights Watch has said Farrah’s arrest came amid a larger crackdown against Algeria’s pro-democracy movement and that anyone working for an NGO that isn’t perfectly aligned with government positions is at risk of arrest. 

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Farrah was born in Algeria but moved to Canada when he was 18. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2023. 

The Canadian Press