Despite the barriers .. Demonstrations in Algeria adhere to the rejection of elections in the light of the symbols of the Bouteflika regime

Demonstrations took place today in the Algerian capital, calling for the departure of symbols of the regime of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and called for fighting corruption and the empowerment of democratic governance in the country, in light of the heavy security spread in the streets and at the entrances of the capital.

Friday's demonstrations coincided with the order of the Popular Movement of the Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Qaid Saleh to book buses and vehicles carrying demonstrators on Friday to the capital, and impose fines on the owners.

Lieutenant General Qaid Saleh said that there are parties that make freedom of movement an excuse to justify their dangerous behavior of creating factors to disturb the comfort of citizens, as he put it.
Hundreds of Algerians gathered near the Central Post Square, shouting "The people want to overthrow a good leader," and "Take us all to prison, the people will not stop."

Arrest and check
The French news agency Agence France-Presse that security forces proceeded before the demonstrations today to arrest citizens near the square, the agency said that it is clear that the numbers of participants this week is less than usual due to barriers and procedures carried out by police since the morning.

The same news agency reported that police in uniforms checked the identity documents of many bystanders near the Central Post Square, stopped some bystanders and drove them in trucks to an unknown destination.

At the southwest entrance to the capital, gendarmes could be seen stopping cars arriving in the capital, while about a dozen trucks of gendarmerie riot police stopped there.

Activists on the websites quoted testimony of a traffic jam "stretching several kilometers" at the entrances to the capital.

Said Salhi, vice-president of the Algerian League for Human Rights, said that the decision of General Kaid Saleh to prevent buses and vehicles from outside the capital "is really shocking," he told Agence France-Presse that this decision "illegal", and that "the Constitution guarantees Algerian citizens equality and freedom of movement ".

The Popular Movement in Algeria launched on February 22 last year to reject Bouteflika's candidacy for a fifth presidential term. Bouteflika resigned on April 2 under street pressure, but protesters continue to demand the departure of all symbols of his rule.

The demonstrations came after Algerian interim President Abdelkader Bensalah announced on Sunday that presidential elections would be held on December 12, but protesters do not want to hold elections under the existing regime.

Collecting Agencies
The Higher Elections Commission (HEC) began distributing the forms of nomination for those wishing to stand for the presidential election on Thursday.

According to identical sources, the most prominent faces that withdrew the forms of sponsorship former Prime Minister Ali Benflis, who leads the party Vanguards of Freedoms, which is also the most prominent opponents under Bouteflika.

On the other hand, APS reported yesterday that the court ordered the arrest of the Secretary General of the former National Liberation Front Party Mohamed Gemei in the case of "threat and destruction of official documents."

Activists and a lawyer said that Algerian authorities arrested last Wednesday evening a prominent opposition activist Fadil Boumalah who participated in the protests against the government.