Algerian journalist Ihsane El Kadi sentenced to five years in prison

Algerian journalist Ihsane El Kadi, who owns an independent media group critical of the government, has been sentenced to three years in prison by a court in Algiers for alleged foreign financing of his business. The court also ordered the dissolution of Interface Media, the company that operates Maghreb Emergent and Radio M, and levied fines totalling 11.7 million Algerian dinars ($86,200) on the company and El Kadi. El Kadi’s arrest has been condemned by human rights and journalists’ rights organizations, and his defense team plans to appeal the judgement.