A Canadian researcher who has been detained in Algeria since February on charges of publishing secret information and accepting money to commit offenses against public order will face trial next month. Raouf Farrah’s trial is scheduled for August 8 in the eastern Algerian city of Constantine, according to his lawyer Kouceila Zerguine. Zerguine maintains that his client is innocent, stating, “He did not commit the crimes that he has been charged with. We have submitted evidence during the inquiry that refutes the charges.” Farrah’s father, Sebti Farrah, who is 67 years old and a resident of Montreal, was also arrested and is set to stand trial alongside his son. Despite experiencing health problems, including a worsening knee injury while imprisoned, Farrah’s requests for pretrial release have been denied. Friends, family, and colleagues have been advocating for Farrah’s release, believing that he was unintentionally caught up in a legal ordeal due to his association with people involved in aiding a pro-democracy activist’s escape from Algeria. Mark Micallef, Farrah’s colleague at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, describes him as passionate, meticulous, and committed to making a difference through his research. Born in Algeria, Farrah moved to Canada when he was 18 and has dedicated his studies and work to security, migration, and organized crime. Rita Abrahamsen, Farrah’s former supervisor, reveals the difficult conditions of his imprisonment, noting that he has lost weight and that the longer the situation persists, the more challenging it becomes for him. Human Rights Watch’s Eric Goldstein believes that Farrah’s arrest is part of a broader crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Algeria, with arrests targeting individuals associated with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The outcome of Farrah’s trial is likely to be politically motivated rather than based on the law. Farrah’s family has stated that his wife has been able to visit him briefly every two weeks, but he has not seen his young daughter since his arrest. The Canadian government has shown awareness of the situation and has been providing consular assistance to Farrah and his family. The Algerian Embassy in Ottawa has not responded to requests for comment on the case.
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