Banned due to a pandemic, the national council of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) finally took place.

The meeting of the governing bodies of the RCD was held at the party's headquarters in Algiers, without it being necessary for it to obtain an authorization, noted an AFP journalist.

In a statement, the RCD denounced this ban, announced Wednesday and not explained by the authorities, stressing "a first" since the creation of the secular party in 1989.

"The power seems to have chosen the policy of the worst" by putting "obstacles to debate in society, including within party structures," said the RCD.

The power accused of instrumentalizing the health crisis

Reacting to the statement from the opposition party, the wilaya (prefecture) of Algiers justified its refusal by arguing that nearly 250 activists were to participate in the meeting, "while the room can only accommodate 200 people in compliance with the measures preventive measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 ".

The prefecture specifies that its services "continue to receive and study any request for a public gathering, on condition that they comply with the necessary preventive measures", according to a statement released by the official APS agency.

In addition, according to local media, the Ministry of Justice asked Thursday for the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of two opposition deputies, including that of Mohcine Bellabas, the leader of the RCD.

No details were given on the reasons for this request. "The attacks on public freedoms continue, the regime unveils and confirms its authoritarian and liberticidal temptation", criticized Thursday in a statement, the Algerian League of the rights of the Male (LADDH).

"While expressing our solidarity with the RCD, we denounce these repeated attacks on the democratic gains which have been wrested from a fierce struggle," added the LADDH, urging "the authorities to respect freedoms".

All public gatherings, including political demonstrations, have been banned since mid-March as part of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

But human rights associations accuse the authorities of taking advantage of the health crisis to restrict freedoms and intensify the repression against the popular protest movement "Hirak" born in February 2019 and which calls for a "change of system".

Algeria's main Islamist party, the Mouvement de la société pour la paix (MSP), has also been barred from meeting outside its headquarters.

The MSP will hold its national council Saturday inside its HQ.

With AFP

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