Algeria: for the twelfth Friday in a row: Thousands of people in the capital and in many cities, asking for radical change

Thousands of protesters gathered in Algiers on Friday asking for the overthrown of the ruling elite, during the first demonstration of Ramadan.

The protesters are pressing for a radical change, through asking for the removal of the senior politicians and businessmen, who have ruled Algeria since the independence in 1962.

Protests have been held since February 22nd. Protestors carried the flags and raised banners calling for the departure of all the members of the ruling elite.

Media reports revealed that thousands of protesters carried out protests in other cities, including Oran, Tizi Ouzou, Constantine, Annaba, and Mostaganem chanting anti-government slogans.

Moreover, they called for the resignation of the interim president Abdelkader Ben Saleh, the current president, who replaced Bouteflika for 90 days to oversee the presidential election scheduled on the 4th of July.

The protesters refuse the participation of the pro former regime in the organization of the elections as they were loyal to Bouteflika throughout his reign.

Some protesters fear the role of the national army led by the Chief of Staff, General Ahmed Kayed Saleh, who was close to Bouteflika.

In an attempt to appease the protestors, the former prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, was brought before the court, last week, on charges of corruption, in addition to the investigation of three other prominent figures (pro the former regime) on charges such as " the prejudice of the army’s authority and the conspiracy against the state’s authority."

The Algerian security services arrested also Said Bouteflika, the younger brother of the overthrown Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, on the 4th May.

Many people claim that Said, the senior adviser of the former president for more than ten years, was the actual ruler of Algeria since his brother’s stroke in 2013.

The General Directorate of Internal Security of the National Army arrested two former intelligence chiefs, Mohammad Madin and the Major General, Bashir Tartaq.

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