An Algerian court has sentenced businesswoman Saida Neghza, former minister Belkacem Sahli, and Abdelhakim Hamadi to prison for their involvement in a scheme to buy voter signatures in a failed attempt to qualify for last year’s presidential race. The sentences were handed down after a trial lasting just over a week.
The three individuals were accused of paying for voter signatures to meet the requirements for presidential candidacy. None of them ultimately succeeded in entering the election, which President Abdelmadjid Tebboune won by a large margin.
Algerian law requires presidential candidates to collect 600 signatures from elected officials across at least half of the country’s 58 provinces or secure 50,000 signatures from ordinary citizens, with at least 1,200 from each province.
Authorities alleged that the three hopefuls attempted to circumvent this process by offering cash to elected officials in exchange for their signatures.
Read more: Macron Calls Gaza Humanitarian Crisis “Intolerable”.
The public prosecution had requested 10-year sentences and a fine of one million dinars ($7,600) when the case opened on May 8.
Approximately 70 other individuals, including local council members accused of selling their signatures, were also convicted in the case, receiving prison terms ranging from five to eight years, according to Arab News. Three of Neghza’s sons were among those jailed.
The investigation began in early August after prosecutors announced the arrest of 68 people in connection with the alleged signature-buying scheme.
The case has garnered significant attention in Algeria as the country prepares for its next presidential vote and underscores ongoing concerns about transparency and corruption in the political process.
About The Author
