Police repress pre-employment protesters in Algeria

Employees by pre-employment job contracts were repressed on Sunday by security forces next to La Grande Poste (Central Poste Office) in Algiers as they protested against their professional situation.

Security forces arrested around 50 people near to the President’s Office and 60 others were arrested as they moved to the central post office to stage a sit-in.

Provincial coordinator of the employees’ commission in Msila Ahmed Habib was beaten and taken to hospital. Press attaché of the commission was also arrested.

After 10 minutes of resistance, the protesters were arrested and the police dispersed the rest of the angry people.

Press attaché Idris Mikidache told Echorouk the protesters had to change their sit-in place from the President’s Office to La Grande Poste as security forces surrounded all the ways leading to the President’s Office.

“We could not gather there after 50 activists had been arrested. We decided to change the sit-in place to the central post office. We were 400 protesters,” he added.

He also said all the arrested protesters were taken to police station.

“The only reply we have got since protests started in 2011 is repression. We did expect that but we do not have any other choice. We will escalate protests,” he added.

Employees of pre-employment job contracts work at public administrations and companies for less than 18,000 DZ per month although they have university degrees.