Algeria interior ministry rejects Salafist party request to hold constitutional session
Algeria’s interior ministry officially informed the Salafist “Jabhat Sahwa Hora (Free Awakening Front) that it did not authorize it to hold its constitutional session on Saturday without giving the reasons behind the decision, the party’s leader told Echorouk.
“The Prefect of Algiers made a 10-day-delay to reply to our request to obtain authorization to hold the constitutional session of the party on Saturday. Yet and a few hours before the event, we were told it was rejected,” Abdelfatah Zeraoui Hamadache said.
“In response to your statement submitted on February 3rd, 2013, related to the holding of a public meeting about the Jabhat Sahwa Hora’s constitutional session on February 16th, 2013, at Metidja cinema in Algiers from 4 pm until 6 pm, I have the honor to inform you that my department does not accept the holding of this public meeting,” he added citing the Prefect’s decision text.
“We were surprised by that decision because our request respected all the legal conditions. We feel that there is a security matter out of the law. We tried to get explanations from officials at the Provincial Popular Assembly in Algiers but they told us they knew nothing.”
The party submitted its request, more than a month ago. “We were asked to hold a constitutional session to explain its objectives followed by a constitutional conference in presence of more than 30 provincial representatives. Yet, we were not granted authorization in our first step,” said the party’s leader.
He added that he will ask to meet the Prefect and the interior minister to obtain explanations about the reject. “If the situation persists like that, we will protest at the Provincial Popular Assembly and the interior ministry headquarters in Algiers to claim our right in political activity.”