Event Summary
Maître Sofiane Ouali, an Algerian lawyer registered with the Béjaïa Bar Association and human rights defender, is the subject of legal proceedings in connection with the exercise of his profession and his commitment to prisoners of conscience. His trial, initially scheduled to take place before a criminal court in Algiers on 25 December 2025, has been postponed until January 2026, prolonging proceedings that have already been marked by delays and intense judicial pressure. Ouali was arrested on 10 July 2024 and prosecuted on controversial criminal charges before being released on bail a few days later. The postponement keeps the lawyer in ongoing legal uncertainty and directly affects his professional activity.
This event is part of a broader context of repression targeting lawyers, journalists and civil society actors in Algeria, where legal proceedings are increasingly being used as a deterrent against the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms.