ALGIERS: Three former presidential hopefuls were among dozens of defendants sentenced to prison on charges of electoral fraud, a judicial source said.

Businesswoman Saida Neghza, former minister Belkacem Sahli and a relative unknown named Abdelhakim Hamadi were sentenced to 10 years in prison each on charges of paying to obtain the signatures needed to run for the presidential elections last September, the source said.

On May 8, the public prosecution had requested penalties of 10 years in prison and a fine of one million Algerian dinars ($7,600) in a trial that lasted for just nine days. About 70 other people, including three of Neghza’s sons, were also sentenced to between five and eight years in prison.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2025