This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
On the eve of Algeria's presidential election, the country's Hirak protest movement is preparing for its final Friday march before the vote. The march, which will be the 42nd consecutive Friday protest, is expected to take place after midday prayers on Friday.
The protest movement has been demanding that the election not entrench a political elite linked to longtime strongman Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who quit in April when confronted by a wave of people power. For nine months, protesters have marched on Fridays to voice their opposition to the election, which they fear will recycle Bouteflika figures into power.
"I am not against voting, I am against this election because it is only serving to recycle Bouteflika figures," said Fatiha Bendahmane, a 55-year-old teacher and protest leader. "We will have a new name but the same policies that destroyed the economy of this country. I will march today to say no to voting with this regime," she added.
According to Amnesty International, Algerian authorities have escalated their pre-election crackdown on protests in recent weeks by carrying out waves of arbitrary arrests. Checkpoints outside Algiers were only letting in vehicles registered in the capital on Friday morning, and busloads of plain-clothed and anti-riot police were deployed to the city centre equipped with water cannons.
