The fall of the notorious General Wassini Bouazza, former head of an equally notorious secret police, has done nothing to slow the level of repression suffered by the Algeria people in the hands of the generals in charge. Repression and judicial harassment against pro-democracy (Hirak) militants and activists, with the regime leveraging the forced confinement to slow Covid-19 to arrest anyone who is deemed a political risk. On Tuesday, 14 April, a day after the arrest of the notorious general, several activists were summoned by the various security services to face accusations of subversion, while many others were placed in pre-trial detention.
In Annaba, young activist Zakaria Boussaha was arrested by order of an investigating judge attached to the court of El Hadjar, charging him of contempt against a state entity and damage to national unity. Zakaria joins a list composed of several hundred people in prison for their political views. In Medea, the political police took advantage of the COVID-19 crisis to harass formerly-detained Riyad Ouachene. The later has been summoned again by the cybercrime brigade of the Medea police, most likely due to opinions expressed over the Internet.
In Djelfa, activist Chekali Saadane was summoned by the police most likely for similar “offenses.” In Chlef, former prisoner of conscience Ali Mokrane was re-arrested and the police searched his business premises and house. As of Tuesday, 14 April, Mokrane is still at the central police station in Chlef and could be brought before the courts to detain him for an extended period of time. In Jijel, activist Lokmane Belarbi was also summoned by the provincial cybercrime brigade and many others are facing similar harassment.
Over the past 48 hours, there were arrests in Boussaada involving activists Hamada Khatib and Fares Kahiouche. Hamada Khatib is accused of publishing his opinions on Facebook that could “undermine national unity.” Fares Kahiouche is accused of insulting the President of the Republic.
