Archive: algeria

4th March 2019
By: Brian Whitaker
Algeria's 82-year-old president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, was formally nominated yesterday for a fifth term in office, even though the current constitution says he is limited to two terms. Bouteflika, who is in poor health and uses a wheelchair, is reported to be in Switzerland for medical tests and… Read more
1st March 2019
By: Brian Whitaker
When the Arab Spring uprisings broke out in 2011 there were riots in Algeria, as elsewhere in the region. But while the leaders of three neighbouring countries – Tunisia, Egypt and Libya – were toppled the regime of Abdelaziz Bouteflika survived relatively unscathed. Although Algeria had similar… Read more
26th February 2019
By: Brian Whitaker
Large-scale protests are continuing in Algeria against President Bouteflika. Now aged 81 and in poor health, he has been president since 1999 is seeking re-election for a fifth term in office (see previous blog post). Today student demonstrations are being organised though there are reports of… Read more
24th February 2019
By: Brian Whitaker
Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been president of Algeria since 1999. Now aged 81 and in poor health, he is seeking a fifth term in office. The ruling FLN party has already adopted him as its candidate for the election in April and other sections of the political establishment have declared their backing… Read more
20th February 2019
By: Brian Whitaker
A 20-year-old student has been detained in Algeria, accused of murdering a fellow student in an apparent homophobic attack.  The suspect, who has not been named, appeared briefly in court on Monday and was remanded in custody awaiting trial. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Assil… Read more
12th February 2019
By: Brian Whitaker
Twenty-one-year-old Algerian student Assil Belalta was murdered on Sunday night in what appears to have been a homophobic killing. According to friends who discovered his body, his throat had been slit and the words "He is gay" were daubed in blood on the wall of his room. The Algerian newspaper… Read more
5th September 2017
By: Brian Whitaker
A public relations firm which became notorious for assisting dodgy regimes – including several in the Middle East – has finally got its comeuppance. London-based Bell Pottinger has been expelled from the PRCA (the trade body for "respectable" PR firms) for bringing the industry into disrepute. Its… Read more
12th December 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
The death was reported today of Mohamed Tamalt who had been serving a two-year jail sentence in Algeria for insulting President Bouteflika on Facebook. Tamalt, 42, who had dual British and Algerian nationality and had been living in Britain before his imprisonment, was arrested on June 27 while… Read more
2nd September 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
Mohamed Tamalt, a journalist with British and Algerian citizenship is reported to be critically ill after going on hunger strike in an Algerian jail. Tamalt, 42, who has dual nationality and had been living in Britain before his imprisonment, is serving a two-year sentence for insulting President… Read more
25th September 2014
By: By Anna Jacobs and George Bajalia
By Anna Jacobs and George Bajalia This article is re-posted from the Muftah website    The militarisation of border crossings throughout North Africa and the Sahel has intensified recently, as a result of security concerns over weapons smuggling, terrorist networks, and armed violence in Libya.… Read more