Algeria cites coronavirus amid ban on anti-government protests
Algeria's president called for measures that would prioritize citizens' health but restrict their freedoms.
Following a year of mass anti-government demonstrations, Algeria is tightening its grip on the streets with a ban on all protests and marches in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. During a televised address Tuesday, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune told the nation it must prioritize the health of its citizens.
“The lives of citizens are above all considerations, even if this requires restricting some freedoms,” said Tebboune.
The largely peaceful protest movement, known as Hirak, erupted in February 2019 when 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced his plan to run for a fifth term. Protesters succeeded in forcing the resignation of the longtime president, along with other members of the county’s political elite, and in the year since have taken to the streets weekly to demand political reforms and an end to government corruption.
It’s unclear whether the government’s ban on mass protests will keep Algerians home during Friday’s planned demonstration.
