Omar Ferhat, director of the local independent news website Algerie Scoop, has been held in pretrial detention in Algeria since February 5, 2026, on charges including collusion, defamation, spreading false news, and inciting hate speech.
State security officers arrested Ferhat, also known as “Karim Kaki,” at his home in the capital Algiers. The investigative judge at the Sidi M’hamed Court later ordered his pretrial detention pending investigation into the charges.
Ferhat founded Algerie Scoop in 2021, and the outlet is known for its coverage of political and social issues and for publishing investigative reports critical of government policies. Local journalists following the case told CPJ, on condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal, that Ferhat’s arrest appears to be retaliatory.
Ferhat was previously arrested in June 2024 on charges of inciting hate speech over a video published by Algerie Scoop and was released that October following a presidential pardon. His re-arrest has raised concerns among press freedom advocates about ongoing judicial harassment.
CPJ’s email to the Algerian Ministry of Interior requesting comment on Ferhat’s arrest did not receive a response.