Algeria

Although social upheaval is certainly one of the main concerns in Algeria at the moment, domestic political debates are also contributing to existing tensions. Indeed, Algerian politicians have been debating over the past few weeks on whether to release Islamists who have been imprisoned since 1992. The debate was ignited when El Hachemi Sahnouni, founder of the dissolved Islamic Salvation Front, said that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is likely to sign a presidential decree releasing Islamist detainees who were arrested in 1991 and 1992. Sahnouni added that all the detainees except those arrested for rape and bombings would be freed. However, Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia denied this claim.

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