ALGIERS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Algeria's military court on Monday began the first trial session of four individuals including brother of the ousted president, official media reported.
The four included Said Bouteflika, brother and adviser of ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Mohamed Mediene, alias Toufik, and Bachir Tartarg, former intelligence chiefs, and Louisa Hanoune, leader of the opposition Workers' party.
The four, who were arrested in early May, were charged of conspiring against the state and the army authority.
According to Algerian state television, the four defendants face sentences ranging from five years in prison to death penalty.
The private television channel of Ennahar reported that the military court, located in the province of Blida, 50 km south of the capital Algiers, is under tight security measures.
Ennahar further quoted Miloud Brahimi, lawyer of Mediene, as saying that he is intending to request the postponement of the first trial session because of health concerns of his client.
The four were accused publicly by Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah of plotting malicious schemes against the army and the nation to thwart the popular protest movement that erupted across Algeria to demand political change.
Algerians have been protesting since Feb. 22 across the country to demand the departure of the government.
Meanwhile, the military institution pledged to work for meeting the people's aspirations, as a series of arrests were launched against several prominent state and military officials as well as businessmen, who are prosecuted over corruption charges.
Source: Xinhua, Staff, September 23, 2019
Said Bouteflika: Brother of deposed Algerian leader goes on trial
The brother of Algeria's deposed former president has gone on trial, accused of conspiring against the state and undermining the military.
Said Bouteflika was a key figure among Algeria's leadership until President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was ousted in April following pro-democracy protests.
Two former secret service chiefs and a political party head are also on trial.
Said Bouteflika was widely seen as the real power behind the presidency after his brother suffered a stroke in 2013.
All four are standing trial at a military court in Blida, south of the capital Algiers, private broadcasters Ennahar and El Bilad reported.
The ailing former president is currently in a residence west of Algiers, and is not expected to face trial, BBC Africa's Ahmed Rouaba reports.
What are the allegations?
The charges relate to an alleged meeting between Said Bouteflika and his co-defendants in March.
It is claimed that he met two secret service leaders, General Mohamed Mediene and General Athmane Tartag, and the head of The Workers' Party, Louisa Hanoune.
They are accused of considering declaring a state of emergency and firing the army chief, General Ahmed Gaid Salah, as protests against the president were mounting.
General Mediene – also known as Toufik – was in charge of the powerful DRS intelligence agency from 1990 until 2015. General Tartag was his deputy, and later his successor.
They were detained in May during a wave of arrests targeting Abdelaziz Bouteflika's inner circle.
Presidential elections have been called for 12 December, but protesters are continuing to demand political reform in the country.
They are also demanding all of the former president's loyalists are removed from power - including army chief General Salah and the interim president Abdelkader Bensalah.
'The authorities want to show they are serious'
Analysis by BBC Africa's Ahmed Rouaba:
Ahmed Gaid Salah, the man in charge in Algeria, has promised to crack down on what he calls "the gang" and bring them to justice.
This trial in Blida, of some of the most powerful officials in Bouteflika's regime, is designed to show the authorities are serious about fighting what they say is corruption at the highest level of the state.
It is also designed to gain support for the fresh presidential elections announced by interim President Bensalah.
Several former cabinet ministers, political leaders and businessmen linked to ousted President Bouteflika have been jailed in recent months, and are now awaiting trial.
The most important challenge facing Gen Gaid Salah and the Algerian authorities, however, is holding the presidential election to allow the country to return to constitutional legitimacy.
Meanwhile, the protesters who are still taking to the streets every Friday have rejected elections under the current government, and are calling for the removal of all officials associated with the Bouteflika regime.
Source: BBC News, Staff, September 23, 2019
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