Spanish MPs question government over kidnapping of Hichem Aboud

November 27, 2024 – Spain/Algeria –

Spanish authorities and lawmakers are grappling with the fallout of the attempted abduction of Algerian opposition journalist Hichem Aboud, who was forcibly taken in Barcelona in October 2024. Aboud, a prominent critic of the Algerian regime and former military officer, was reportedly kidnapped by men in balaclavas and driven across the country in an apparent attempt to smuggle him to Algeria by boat. The operation was interrupted by the Spanish Civil Guard near the Guadalquivir River in Lebrija, where Aboud was found bound and gagged.

The kidnapping has raised alarms over the growing threat of transnational repression, as evidence points to involvement by a Spanish-based drug trafficking network allegedly subcontracted by foreign operatives. Spanish police arrested multiple suspects—among them Moroccan and Senegalese nationals—and are investigating possible links to Algerian intelligence. Authorities are also probing the role of the narco-gang “El Tarta” in facilitating the abduction, which may have been ordered to silence Aboud’s outspoken criticism of Algeria’s ruling elite.

In response, Spanish opposition lawmakers from the Vox party submitted a formal parliamentary question to the government on November 11, demanding clarity on the nationalities, affiliations, and criminal backgrounds of the suspects. They also pressed for an investigation into any foreign state involvement in the operation. The government is legally required to respond by December 19, 2024.

Aboud, who has lived in exile since 1997 and currently resides in France, is the author of several works exposing corruption within Algeria’s military establishment, including The Mafia of Generals. He previously survived other suspected kidnapping attempts, including one in Belgium. Aboud has publicly denied Moroccan involvement and insisted the operation was politically motivated by Algerian authorities.

The case has sparked widespread condemnation from press freedom groups and renewed calls for stronger protections for exiled journalists in Europe. It also underscores the evolving tactics of authoritarian states that outsource repression through criminal networks abroad. With Spain now under international scrutiny, the handling of this case may set a precedent for how democracies confront extraterritorial threats to press freedom and political dissent.

Reference –

Official: Spanish MPs question the Government on the Hichem Aboud Abduction

https://www.atalayar.com/en/articulo/politics/spanish-mps-question-government-over-kidnapping-of-hichem-aboud/20241127120938208035.html