Three former candidates in Algeria’s 2024 presidential race were each sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday, May 26, 2025, following convictions for corruption-related offenses.
The convicted individuals—prominent businesswoman Saïda Neghza, former minister Belkacem Sahli, and laboratory executive Abdelhakim Hamadi—were also ordered to pay a fine of one million Algerian dinars (approximately €6,700).
The trio had declared their intentions to contest the presidency in the September 2024 election. However, their ambitions were cut short after the country’s Constitutional Court rejected their candidacies, citing evidence that they had illegally purchased sponsorship endorsements from elected officials.
In August 2024, the public prosecutor revealed that 50 elected representatives confessed to accepting bribes in exchange for backing the candidates’ nominations.
Ultimately, incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune secured re-election, in what was widely expected to be a decisive win.
The trial formed part of a broader anti-corruption investigation that led to approximately 70 individuals being convicted, exposing an extensive network of illicit political dealings.
In addition to the three main defendants, three sons of Saïda Neghza were also sentenced to between five and eight years in prison for aiding and abetting, as well as money laundering.
Despite the convictions, Neghza, Sahli, and Hamadi were allowed to leave the courtroom after the verdict and have ten days to file an appeal.
