Before a demonstration, in Algiers, at least 25 people were arrested Friday, November 29, in the Algerian capital, shortly before the departure of the "traditional" weekly procession. A new demonstration was organized against the power in place, and to say no to the presidential scheduled on December 12.

With cries of "We swear that there will be no vote", "it's our country, it's us who decide", several hundred people were already gathered in the center of the capital, more than two hours before kick-off, after the Friday prayer.

Very heavily deployed in this 41st consecutive Friday of protest, the police, equipped with heavy means, including a water truck and a vehicle equipped with an anti-barricade blade, arrested several young people having approached its security device.

Other protesters were arrested near a police station downtown, said an AFP journalist. Police sprayed the group with tear gas to disperse them, witnesses said.

Arrests condemned by the European Parliament

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the European Parliament strongly condemned the arbitrary and illegal arrests, as well as the imprisonment, attacks and intimidation of journalists, trade unionists, lawyers, students, human rights defenders 'Man and peaceful protesters'.

What the Algerian government reacted in a statement with particularly virulent terms. He denounced a "blatant interference in his internal affairs" and a "disregard" of Algerian institutions.

Since February 22, 2019, Algeria has been the scene of a movement ("Hirak") of unprecedented mass popular protest. After having obtained in April the resignation of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, president since April 1999, the "Hirak" now demands the dismantling of the political "system" in power since the independence of Algeria, in 1962.

For several weeks, the contestants go out in the streets of the country to express their refusal that this "system" organizes the presidential election to elect the successor of the former President Bouteflika, which is only for them to regenerate it.

With AFP