The Algerian government has launched a crackdown on activists and social media users participating in the growing #ManichRadi ('I'm dissatisfied') movement against President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
According to Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, dozens of individuals have been arrested over the past two days for sharing content related to the hashtag. Human rights group Chouaa claimed many activists were arrested publicly.
The campaign, which gained traction on social media, particularly among Algeria’s youth, has become a symbol of widespread frustration with the government’s handling of poverty, unemployment, and corruption. The hashtag has become a focal point for dissent against the government, with users rallying for meaningful reform and accountability.
In response, Tebboune's government has tried to counter this rising discontent by promoting its social media campaign, #AnaMâaBladi ('I Am With My Country').
This initiative was presented as a patriotic call, attempting to galvanize Algerians in support of the state. However, it has failed to gain significant traction among the population, as many perceive it as a top-down, government-sponsored attempt to stifle dissent rather than address the underlying issues plaguing the nation.
Responding to activists, President Tebboune condemned the online rally accusing users of harming Algeria through hashtags.
During a speech on Tuesday, he said: "Whoever thinks that he can prey on Algeria with a hashtag is mistaken, as there is no Algerian in whose blood the spirit of resistance does not run. We must live up to the expectations of the youth."
Tebboune’s government has faced widespread criticism widely boycotted elections and mass pro-democracy protests from 2019 that died out under his tenure as policing ramped up and hundreds were put in jail.
Human rights groups have condemned the arrests, which are seen as an attempt to instil fear among the population and prevent the spread of anti-government sentiment.
Algeria's security forces have been accused of using coercive tactics to intimidate citizens into silence, particularly as the country's social media landscape becomes a critical space for public discourse.