ALGERIA Stop the repression of the Socialist Workers Party (PST) — Statement by the Organising Committee of Internationalist Socialists

The Council of State ordered this Thursday the temporary suspension of the activities of the Socialist Workers’ Party (PST) and the closure of its premises. 

We denounce with the utmost determination these iniquitous decisions. They are unacceptable attacks on the democratic rights and freedoms won by the youth revolt of 5 October 1988, which cost 500 people their lives – coldly machine-gunned down. 

The regime, after having attacked, as of June 2019, more than 300 imprisoned activists, is now attacking political parties and organisations. Before the PST, it dissolved RAJ, a youth organisation that emerged in October 1988, sentenced Fateh Ghares, coordinator of the MDS, to three years in prison and banned political meetings in the premises of the RCD. The UCP, the political party chaired by Zoubida Assoul, is awaiting a decision by the Council of State, which was called upon by the Ministry of the Interior. 

We express our solidarity with the PST and the imprisoned activists. We stand by them. We reiterate our readiness to build together from the bottom up: We reiterate our readiness to build together from the bottom up: « the national front against repression and for democratic rights and freedoms ». 

We launch an urgent appeal to all workers’, trade union and democratic organisations attached to the rights to organise, to demonstrate, to strike, to express themselves, to the freedom to publish their opinions and to meet to reject these measures in unity and with force and to stop the repressive arm of the regime. 

No to repression! Release the detainees of opinion! Freedom of action for the PST and RAJ! 

Algeria, January 20, 3 pm
Internationalist Socialists Organising Committee