Algerian court sentences Moroccan nationals to four years in prison

A group of Moroccan nationals have been sentenced to four years in prison by an Algerian court, following their arrest in the city of Oran and subsequent investigations that began in October 2023. 

According to sources close to the families of the detained Moroccans, the young men who were seeking to migrate to Europe were apprehended and imprisoned in Algeria. 

The families have expressed deep concern about their loved ones’ safety and well-being, as they have been denied any form of communication and fear they may be subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment, calling for their immediate release and repatriation.

Hespress Ar sources said that many families have been unable to contact their relatives, while a few have managed to obtain information about their health conditions thanks to the intervention of Algerian lawyers. 

According to legal documents reviewed by Hespress AR, the Moroccans were charged with human trafficking after the initial charge of attempting to illegally leave Algerian territory was amended.

Documents obtained by Hespress from the detainees’ relatives indicate that the individuals entered Algeria legally via flights to Tunis-Carthage Airport and then changed their destination to Algiers Houari Boumediene Airport for tourism purposes. 

However, evidence suggests that a criminal network specializing in illegal migration was operating in the coastal areas of Oran, recruiting individuals to be smuggled to Spain.

The Coordination of Families and Families of Young Moroccan Migrants, Detained, Imprisoned, and Missing in Algeria has previously sent a letter to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune requesting his intervention to release their relatives and allow them to return to their families.

The Moroccan Association for Assistance to Migrants in Difficult Situations in Oujda has denounced the growing crisis of missing, imprisoned, and detained Moroccan youth seeking to migrate through various routes, including Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria.

 The association has warned of the proliferation of fraudsters who pose as lawyers and legal professionals on social media, preying on the families of missing migrants.