UN calls on Algerian authorities to free Drareni

A senior United Nations official is calling on Algerian authorities to release journalist Khaled Drareni who was jailed on Tuesday for two years over his coverage of the country's pro-democracy movement.

Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Rights to Peaceful Assembly and Association said he "cannot see a legal basis" for Drareni's arrest.

"He has been arrested while doing this coverage. And for us it is condemnable and not acceptable," he added.

40-year old Drareni, an editor at the Casbah Tribune news site and correspondent for French-language channel TV5 Monde, was arrested on March 29th on charges of "inciting an unarmed gathering" and "endangering national unity" after covering demonstrations by the "Hirak" protest movement.