Sunday February 21 in Paris, a demonstration, bringing together several hundred people, called for the release of all prisoners of conscience and demanded a “radical change” in the Algerian system. A gathering that takes place on the eve of the second anniversary of popular uprising of the Hirak.
“The people will go to the end”, “Stop repression”, “neither forgetting nor renouncing, the revolution will win”, “system releases, sovereignty of the people over all institutions and resources”, could one read on the white banners deployed between the trees of the place of the Republic.
Note that the demonstration could not carry out the planned march, going from Republic to Nation: the route was prohibited by the police chief because of “serious risks of disturbing public order” and the proximity to the Algerian consulate.
“It’s about saving a country”
“We are not going to give up now, we no longer have a choice, it is not about changing a diet, it’s about saving Algeria because this regime is going to lead the country to bankruptcy “, explained Hakim Taibi, an activist member of an intercollective of associations.”We show our support to our brothers and our sisters in Algeria who are struggling to demonstrate at the moment because the state is taking advantage of the current situation, the coronavirus epidemic, to block the demonstrations, “said Narmine, a 30-year-old student.
Algeria is shaken by growing popular protest. The Hirak, an unprecedented protest movement launched on February 22, 2019, urged the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in power for two decades. The latter had left office in April 2019 in order to “contribute to the appeasement of the hearts and minds” of his compatriots.
In this context of social unrest, his successor, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has pardoned and released in recent weeks dozens of prisoners of conscience, including journalist and activist Khaled Drarent. The head of state has also promised early legislative elections by the end of 2021.
–
Read more
– .
