Omar Belhouchet (Arabic: عمر بلهوشات; born 9 February 1954 in Sétif[1]) is an Algerian journalist who is renowned for his investigative reporting and supporting freedom of the press; his work and persistence have received international recognition.
During the civil war of the 1990s, which put enormous pressure on the free press from both sides, Belhouchet was prosecuted numerous times by his government and survived two assassination attempts.
Belhouchet started his journalism career at Algérie Presse Service followed by reporting for El Moudjahid (English: "The Holy Warrior"), the FLN government-owned newspaper.
[3] In a 1999 interview with the Committee to Protect Journalists, Belhouchet estimated that between 1993 and 1997, he faced thirty legal actions initiated by Algerian officials, sometimes requiring him to appear in court two or three times a week.
[8] The International Federation of Journalists issued a press release protesting the conviction as "another attempt by the powerful to silence investigative journalism by means of judicial interference".