Yesterday evening, 15th of July, an assassination attempt on Rachid Malaoui was foiled when the sabotaged brakes of his vehicle were discovered by chance. Chairman of the independent union of public service employees and human rights activist, friends now fear for his life. Brutally assaulted during a demonstration in Algiers on February 19, requiring hospitalization, Rachid Malaoui is also victim of a travel ban plot, preventing him from building solidarity with European and international trade unions. SNAPAP is one of the most active organizations in Algeria gathering the sympathy of unemployed and private sector workers who find it’s action more adapted to their needs than that of the monopolistic UGTA. Last nights act sparks fears that the Algerian government, inspired by embattled « democratic transition » in neighbouring countries including Libya and Syria, might abandon constrained reforms in favor of stepped-up repression of the movement for social change.
Translation of previous article in French.