Supposed killer of Algeria’s singer Maatoub Lounes on open hunger strike for 20 days

The supposed killer of Algeria’s singer Maatoub Lounes has been on a hunger strike since June 25th. “Madjnoune Malek reached a despair stage as his case was not scheduled in the last penal session which was ended on Thursday,” his lawyer told Echorouk.

• The suspect chose to start going on a hunger strike on June 25th as it is the same day of the assassination of Maatoub.
•  
• The singer was killed by an armed terrorist group in the province of Tizi Ouzou (100 km east of Algiers).
•  
• “I tried to convince my client to stop the strike as it would endanger his health state but he refused, saying he will continue his hunger strike until his case is scheduled,” said lawyer Bou Beker Ait Habib.
•  
• Madjnoune’s defence lawyers had asked to release their client temporary but their request was rejected though the case was postponed to conduct the complementary investigation.
•  
• Investigation into the assassination of Maatoub Lounes found out that the killers were terrorists operating in Tizi Ouzou but security forces have doubts about the involvement of Malek Madjnoune. He was arrested on September 29th in 1999 for assassinating the singer and belonging to an armed terrorist group provoking panic among residents. He had been jailed pending for investigation for 7 months. In 2000, he was put in temporary prison.
•  
• Sources said a repentant terrorist had told security forces Madjnoune was in charge of keeping watch on the victim while he was driving his car. He was contacting the killers via a wireless device. Yet, the suspect denied all those allegations.