One year after the inspiring events of the “Arab Spring” that swept away western-backed dictators, the Algerian authoritarian regime –still in place- is desperately calling for the Algerian people to go and participate massively in the up-coming electoral masquerade on May 10th. At the same time, this indifferent and disdainful regime is continuing its totalitarian policies of contempt for civil liberties, a brutal repression and cracking-down on political and human rights activists.

In Fact, over the last few months, many activists who were fighting for basic freedoms and human rights and who were campaigning peacefully for a genuine democratic change were denied the right to protest and to express themselves. Some of them were brutally arrested and still imprisoned to this day. These activists belong to different organisations from the civil society such as: Ligue Algeriene de la Defense des Droits de l’homme (LADDH), Coordination nationale de défense des droits des chômeurs (CNDDC), Mouvement de la Jeunesse Independente pour le Changement (MJIC)....

Concurrently, the popular discontent is still going on with protests in several towns and cities to the point that young people are still immolating themselves (last case was on 29th April 2012), and risking their lives to escape and reach the northern shores of the Mediterranean. This situation bears witness to the despair, the misery and the injustice the Algerian people are subjected to under an oppressive totalitarian regime.

These dictatorial measures and the ongoing contempt for Algerians and their democratic rights cannot go unchallenged, especially when we Algerians are asked to fulfil our “patriotic” duty of endorsing the cosmetic reforms (initiated in April 2011) and legitimating a despised system that has no will to change and no intentions to treat us as fully-fledged “citizens”.

It is clear that this illegitimate Pouvoir -with the colluding of British, French and American imperialists- wants to maintain its criminal and corrupt rule, and preserve its own interests at the expense of the political and socio-economic aspirations of Algerians who are really hungry for an alternative to regain their dignity and freedoms.

We, Algerians in the UK, who are jealous of the future of our country and who cherish justice, dignity and the respect of human rights, cannot go on and be just passively sympathetic to our people’s aspirations. We urgently need to react to this reprehensible situation and strongly denounce the regime’s shameful attitudes.

Thus, ASC calls for a protest in front of the Algerian Consulate on the May 5th at 3pm to voice our condemnation of the tyranny still in place, to show our support to the arrested and repressed activists and above all to be in solidarity with the democratic aspirations and legitimate demands of the Algerian people for a better Algeria.

So please join us and show your support and let’s come together (Algerians and Non-Algerians) and be in the side of the oppressed against the oppressor!