British-Algerian Journalist Mohammed Tamalt died in a coma on December 11, following a three-month hunger strike intended to protest his two-year jail sentence in Algeria. The jail term came as a result of a poem written on Facebook by Tamalt, perceived as “defaming a public authority” and “offending” Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Tamalt’s lawyer, Amine Sidhoum, wrote, “I can confirm the death of [Tamalt] in Bab el-Oued hospital after a hunger strike of more than three months and a three-month coma.” The blogger and freelance journalist ran a website based in London, and was arrested shortly after posting his poem on June 27, near the capital of Algiers. The Algerian appeals court later upheld the ruling.
According to statements provided by Tamalt’s family, they agree with the calls for an open investigation, questioning the extent of his injuries beyond an infected lung. His brother Abdelkader noted stitches in Tamalt’s head, indicating inflicted wounds from blunt trauma. Sidhoum promised that following the death, more effort would be made into examining his treatment while in prison. The journalist is scheduled to be buried Algiers on December 12.