Algerian justice minister fired amid anti-graft investigations

ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algeria’s interim president fired the
justice minister on Wednesday and named the Algiers public
prosecutor to replace him, the presidency said, amid a series of
corruption investigations involving allies of former President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Abdelkader Bensalah appointed Belkacem Zeghmati to replace
Slimane Brahmi “after consultation with the prime minister”, the
presidency said in a statement.

The judiciary has been conducting probes and several former
senior officials, including ex-prime ministers Ahmed Ouyahia and
Abdelmalek Sellal, have been placed in custody over charges
including “dissipation of public funds”.

The investigations followed mass protests that erupted in the
North African country on Feb. 22, with demonstrators calling for
the removal of the ruling elite and the prosecution of people
involved in corruption cases.

Bouteflika resigned under pressure on April 2, but the
demonstrations continued as protesters sought the departure of the
remaining symbols of the elite that has governed the country since
independence from France in 1962.

The army is now the main player in Algeria’s politics, and its
chief of staff, Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah has promised to
help the judiciary and protect it from pressure.

The departing justice minister, Brahmi, had been in the job
since March 31, when Bouteflika named a new government shortly
before his resignation.

Protesters are now demanding the departure of Bensalah, a former
head of the upper house of parliament, and Prime Minister
Noureddine Bedoui, regarding them as part of the old guard.

Authorities have postponed a presidential election previously
planned for July 4, citing a lack of candidates and have not set a
new date for the vote. Bensalah last week named a panel to start
talks with the opposition over the election.

Zakzaky: Shiite Group Temporarily Suspends Street
Protests, Goes to Court

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria do hereby announce to the
general public and the international community that it has
temporarily suspended its Free Zakzaky street protests to allow for
some new openings into the resolution of the problems, especially
the court case instituted by our lawyers on the proscription order
made by the federal government this week.

It has taken this step in good faith out of respect for some
eminent people and groups, whose input in the resolution of the
problems appears genuine and we sincerely hope an amicable way
could be found to solve the crises surrounding the illegal
detention of our leader for almost four years now.

If at all any protests occur anywhere in the country, it might
be this notice hasn’t reach those in the field or this message is
misunderstood or it is some security agents who are mischievously
behind it as they have been doing in an attempt to smear our image
and be seen as unruly people rather than as victims of savage
oppression since 2015.

The Islamic Movement wishes to thank both national and
international civil rights activists and organizations who have
been busy demanding the protection of our fundamental human rights
as enshrined in the constitution.

We also thank the press, both national and international, and
the social media activists for the full coverage of our activities
throughout the struggle for justice.

We are committed to exploring the new openings we have seen in
resolving this protracted issue. We therefore reiterate our demand
that our leader, his wife and several others in detention be given
their freedom denied to them since 2015.

SIGNED BY

IBRAHIM MUSA
PRESIDENT MEDIA FORUM OF ISLAMIC MOVEMENT IN NIGERIA