Saturday, January 22, 2011

Algeria: Authorities call upon citizens not to protest on Saturday

Local authorities have asked the public not to answer the call of the opposition to participate in a demonstration Saturday in the center of Algiers for a democratic opening. Saturday's demonstration was called by an opposition party, the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), which has 19 deputies in the 385 account that the NPC.

The demonstration must start from the Place de la Concorde in Algiers, former site of the May 1st, to the headquarters of the National People's Congress. "He asked citizens to exercise wisdom and vigilance, and not respond to any provocation intended to undermine their peace, their peace and their serenity," said a statement from the wilaya (prefecture) Algiers passed Thursday night at the Algerian agency APS.

The call for Saturday's demonstration was made "without authorization of the competent administrative authorities," the statement said. The wilaya will remember that "marches in Algiers are not allowed" and that "any gathering on the street is considered a breach of public order." Demonstrations are banned in Algeria under a state of emergency in force since 1992.

Despite this prohibition, the leader of the RCD, Said Sadi, said he was determined to continue this march, originally scheduled for Jan. 18 but postponed to 22, also based on an application for release of suspected rioters arrested in January. The authorities have announced arrests and 1100 indicated that only adults would face criminal charges.

Five days of rioting earlier this month in Algeria have killed five people, more than 800 wounded, almost all police officers, and property damage. In neighboring Tunisia, the riots led to the overthrow January 14 President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who reigned supreme on the country for 23 years.

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