At the end of January 2019, Ghermoul and Rezouane Kada denounced the fifth presidential term for which Abdelaziz Bouteflika was running.
They hold up a sign “No to a fifth term” in a public place in Tizi. The image of the event is circulating on Facebook. Ghermoul was imprisoned on January 27 and sentenced on February 7 in a court in the Mascara Province to six months in prison and a fine of 30,0006. or 300,000 dinars.[5]
Authorities justified his arrest by saying Ghermoul was drunk, insulted the police when they approached him following a noise complaint. Ghermoul's family denied the police version and said that the police had intimidated Ghermoul in order to provoke him.[6] According to Front Line Defenders, it was the police who allegedly insulted Ghermoul.[7] Ghermoul asked in response that he could be formally detained or be left alone. The officers took him to the police station.[8]
Ghermoul was first detained at Sidi Mhammed Prison in Mascara,[9] then transferred to a prison in Reggane. on April 1 a street march, in support of Ghermoul, was organized in front of the Mascara Court.[10]
Ghermoul and Kada were then seen by the demonstrators as being among the first Hirak activists.[11] Ghermoul is a prisoner of conscience according to the Hirak and his portrait is brandished during the Hirak Friday marches. The distance of Reggane and Tizi from the major Algerian urban centers makes it difficult to support Hirak activists.[6]
Ghermoul was released on July 20, 2019 after serving his sentence. He was “very tired” on his release from prison and did not say anything.[12]
On December 25, 2019, the National Committee for the Release of Prisoners (CNLD) announced that Ghermoul was sentenced again to 18 months in prison.