International

Algerian influencer detained in France for alleged calls to attack

French police detained an Algerian social media influencer in the port city of Brest on Friday, accused of urging his followers to carry out attacks in France, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced.

The arrest comes as France prepares to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the deadly January 2015 attacks in Paris targeting the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket.

On January 7, 2015, two French-born Al-Qaeda extremists stormed the Charlie Hebdo newsroom, killing 12 people, including the editor-in-chief, cartoonists, and a police officer nearby. In the following days, an associate aligned with ISIS killed a police officer and later attacked a kosher supermarket in eastern Paris, murdering four hostages. All three attackers were killed in police shootouts.

Retailleau stated on social media platform X that the detained influencer, who used the alias “Zazouyoussef,” had “called on his community to commit attacks in France.”

International

Klaus Iohannis resigns as romanian president following growing opposition pressure

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation on Monday, following growing pressure from populist opposition groups, two months after a higher court annulled a presidential election in the European Union country.

“To free Romania from this crisis, I resign as President of Romania,” he said, adding that he would step down on February 12.

Iohannis, 65, had held the presidential office since 2014, having completed the maximum of two five-year terms. However, his presidency was extended in December after the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential race just two days before the second-round vote on December 8.

This decision followed an unexpected victory by the far-right populist Calin Georgescu in the first round, which was followed by allegations of Russian interference and electoral violations.

International

Saudi PhD student’s sentence reduced to 4 years after Twitter activity

A Saudi PhD student from the University of Leeds in Britain has been released after her 34-year sentence for her activities on Twitter in Saudi Arabia was drastically reduced, a human rights group reported on Monday.

Salma al-Shehab, who has two children, was sentenced to 34 years in prison in 2022 for her tweets.

A London-based Saudi rights group, ALQST, announced her release. In January, ALQST and other organizations said that her sentence was reduced to four years in prison, with an additional four years suspended.

“She should now be granted full freedom, including the right to travel to complete her studies,” said the group.

International

Victims of Álvaro Uribe case request international observers for trial

Victims in the legal case against former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe have requested that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH), the United Nations, and other international organizations send observers to monitor the trial against the former leader.

“The victims’ group announces that it will appeal to the CIDH, the UN Special Rapporteur for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, and internationally recognized NGOs to designate international observers to attend the trial, in order to ensure the right to justice is upheld and that judges and magistrates imparting justice are respected,” said the victims, led by left-wing senator Iván Cepeda.

Last Thursday, the trial began against the former Colombian president on charges of bribery, process fraud, and bribery in criminal proceedings.

In this trial, in which for the first time a former Colombian president faces criminal charges, Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia will have to decide whether the Prosecution’s accusations against Uribe are valid or if, as the defense claims, Uribe is innocent of the charges.