Algeria Protesters Demand Independent Judiciary

Algerians march during a demonstration in Algeria's capital, Algiers, on March 19, 2021. (AFP)
Algerians march during a demonstration in Algeria's capital, Algiers, on March 19, 2021. (AFP)
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Algeria Protesters Demand Independent Judiciary

Algerians march during a demonstration in Algeria's capital, Algiers, on March 19, 2021. (AFP)
Algerians march during a demonstration in Algeria's capital, Algiers, on March 19, 2021. (AFP)

Thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets of cities across Algeria Friday, demanding an independent judiciary as dozens of regime opponents endure incarceration.

In the center of the capital Algiers, national flags were held aloft by protesters, signifying the Hirak protest movement's opposition to a regime and leaders that they regard as illegitimate.

One banner read: "I have a dream -- democracy, the rule of law, freedom."

Pictures of detained prisoners of conscience featured alongside messages on numerous placards brought to the rally by protesters.

Around 30 people belonging or linked to the protest movement are currently behind bars, according to the CNLD prisoners' rights group.

"We want an independent judiciary. The injustice must stop!" said Mohammed, a 59-year-old retiree.

Another banner read "We are all Judge Merzoug", referring to a magistrate who was suspended from his duties, amid criticism from Algeria's justice ministry over his purported sympathy with the Hirak.

He is one of two judges who face legal action over links to the protest movement.

Protests also took place in several other cities, including Annaba in the east and Oran in the west, according to images circulating on social media.

The Hirak first mobilized in February 2019 and two months later forced then president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to abandon a bid for a fifth term and then resign.

The movement sees the regime as little changed since his departure from office, and demands a new political system that reflects the will of the people.

A presidential election in late 2019 resulted in victory for President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, once a prime minister under Bouteflika, in a poll where even official figures put turnout at only around 40 percent, amid a substantial boycott organized by the Hirak.



Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.