Algeria: Opposition protest reported in Kabylia May 10 /update 69

Event

Several hundred opposition protesters gathered on Sunday morning (local time), May 10, in Tizi Gheniff commune (Kabylia region), despite the current ban on public gatherings amid the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Reports indicate that this is the first Hirak rally to take place since the government imposed the ban on public gatherings on March 10, in efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

According to reports, the anti-government protesters gathered to denounce the imprisonment of activists during the popular protest movement known as Hirak. Activists took to the main streets of the city and rallied outside the police headquarters. Reports suggest that the rally remained peaceful.

Further protests cannot be ruled out in the near term. A heightened security presence and localized transportation disruptions should be anticipated.  

Context

Protests to denounce the current political system have continued despite the election of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on December 12, 2019. Demonstrators are still calling for civil and popular sovereignty and have rejected the recent presidential electoral process. The protest movement has been officially ongoing since February 23, 2019.

Advice

Individuals in Algeria are advised to monitor developments, avoid all protests and demonstrations as a precaution, and anticipate a heightened security presence and localized disruptions to business and transportation around protest sites.