Hundreds of citizens in Algeria's Bouira province took to the streets on Tuesday, demanding the immediate release of all political prisoners and rejecting the upcoming presidential election scheduled for December 12. The protesters, who started their march at 10:30 am from the Martyrs' Square in the city center, chanted slogans against the current political power and called for the cancellation of the electoral process and a genuine democratic change.
The protesters in Bouira, who numbered several hundred, also denounced what they described as "grave attacks on democratic and individual freedoms in Algeria." They welcomed the decisions of some local mayors and elected officials in Bouira who have joined the popular movement by refusing to organize the presidential election in their municipalities. The protesters vowed to continue their movement until the departure of the current political system and the advent of a new Republic.
In a show of solidarity, dozens of students from the Akli Mohand Oulhadj University in Bouira also marched on Tuesday, demanding the release of prisoners of opinion, the cancellation of the December 12 election, and the dissolution of the FLN and RND parties. The students, who marched from the university campus to the wilaya headquarters, also called for the liberation of justice and the departure of all figures from the old system.
The protests were not limited to Bouira, as hundreds of students also marched in Tizi Ouzou on Tuesday, demanding the departure of the current system and the immediate release of prisoners of opinion and politics. The students, who have been marching for the 40th consecutive Tuesday, carried Algerian and Amazigh flags, banners, and placards, and chanted slogans such as "Non à l'élection sans transition!" and "Cette génération ne fera jamais marche arrière."
In Bejaia, thousands of students, university teachers, workers, and civil society activists took part in a massive march on Tuesday, demanding a radical change in the system and the release of all prisoners of opinion. The protesters, who marched from the Targa Ouzemmour campus, chanted slogans against the government and the presidential election, and rejected the law on hydrocarbons and the 2020 finance law.
The protests in Bejaia, which have been ongoing for 40 consecutive Tuesdays, have shown no signs of weakening, despite government maneuvers. The protesters, who were draped in Algerian and Amazigh flags and carried placards with their demands, reiterated their determination to occupy the streets until the departure of the current system and the advent of a new Algeria.
The protests also spread to other parts of the country, including the eastern communes of Bejaia, where several marches were organized on Monday, with protesters closing the headquarters of the local dairas in rejection of the upcoming election. The protests have become a regular occurrence in Algeria, with citizens demanding fundamental changes to the political system and the release of prisoners.
Key points
- The protests are demanding the release of all political prisoners and the cancellation of the upcoming presidential election.
- The protesters are also calling for a radical change in the system and the departure of all figures from the old system.
- The protests have been ongoing for 40 consecutive Tuesdays in some parts of the country, with no signs of weakening.
