In Algeria, an “unlimited” strike of magistrates for the independence of justice
The movement that began Sunday denounces "the control of the executive power over the judiciary," according to the National Union of Magistrates.
Algerian judges and prosecutors began a strike on Sunday (October 27th) “Unlimited”. they demand the independence of the justice and the cancellation of the change of assignment of 3 000 of them, that is to say three quarters of the workforce. The “Strike monitoring rate is 96%”announced the National Union of Magistrates (SNM) in a statement.
Magistrates intend to denounce the “Executive control of the judiciary”, according to the SNM. Political power has “Encroached on the prerogatives of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (…) by deciding a movement of this magnitude (…) in record time”, said the union, referring to the change of assignment decided for 3,000 judges and prosecutors.
The Ministry of Justice has defended itself by claiming that these disputed changes have been “Unanimously approved by members of the Judicial Council”. This council decides the appointments, the changes and the course of the career of the magistrates. It is chaired by the Head of State and includes the Minister of Justice, the President of the Supreme Court and ten magistrates elected by their peers.
A move that could disrupt the presidential
This strike is a movement of unprecedented scale within the judiciary in Algeria, country theater for more than nine months of a protest movement against the ‘System’ policy in place for decades. If it continues, it may hinder the electoral process underway in the country where a presidential election is scheduled for December 12 to elect a successor to Abdelaziz Bouteflika, pushed to resignation in early April under the combined pressure of the army and the street.
Magistrates play a major role in organizing polls in Algeria because they are responsible for overseeing the electoral roll and for recording the results of the vote in each municipality. After the expiry of the deadline for submitting candidatures on Saturday at midnight, two former prime ministers of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Ali Benflis and Abdelmadjid Tebboune, were among the 22 candidates registered.
Also candidates are Azzedine Mihoubi, of the National Democratic Rally – pillar of the coalition that supported Bouteflika during his presidency – and Abdelkader Bengrina, representative of El-Bina, a small party member of an Islamist coalition, including one of the deputies was elected in September to the presidency of the National Assembly.
The protest denies that the presidential election is organized by the power, in the hands of ex-political figures in place during the 20 years of presidency of Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
