The Algerian authorities seem determined to silence the Revolution of the Smiles.
The heavy hand of justice which fell on the Hirak activists on the night of Sunday 16 to Monday 17 May is the perfect demonstration of this. Between heavy convictions and deposit warrants, dozens of Hirakists have paid the price for the escalation in the repression adopted recently by Algerian decision-makers.
Indeed, the court of Baïnem, in Algiers, was not idle Sunday and for the magistrates of this institution, the night does not seem to bring advice. Like many magistrates in Algeria. Dozens of people arrested on Friday were presented to the judge on Sunday. For some, warrants of committal, for others, an immediate appearance which led to convictions. Heavy sentences handed down with disconcerting ease.
This is the case of the member of the national leadership of the MDS, Ouahid Benhalla arrested Friday, May 14, following his participation in the Hirak march. The Baïnem court sentenced him to one year in prison, after his appearance shortly after midnight. Several other demonstrators presented during the same night were sentenced to different prison terms, with or without committal warrants. Some will, however, be relaxed, it should be remembered.
22 people heavily sentenced in Sétif
In front of the seat of the court in question, family members of the detainees were shocked by the verdicts. Some shouted their anger among the crowd, while others could not hold back their tears. Especially since no one expected such heavy verdicts tonight.
It must be said that this is not the only court that has shown that the political power has decided to be intractable with the Hirakists. In Setif, the judge sentenced 22 people to one year in prison with a committal warrant and a fine of 60,000 dinars each. Among them, a holder of two doctorates working as a professor at Lamine Debaghine University in the city.
Also, the court of Sidi M’hamed, in Algiers, put 6 other demonstrators under an arrest warrant. The heavy hand of justice also raged in several other wilayas, like Biskra, Constantine, Chlef, and Bordj Bou Arreridj. All the defendants are among the demonstrators that the security services arrested on the occasion of the 117th Friday of Hirak in Algeria.
