Three Algerian activists on hunger strike hospitalized in prison protest
January 6, 2021, 11:38 am

Three Algerian activists on hunger strike hospitalized in prison protest

A file photo shows demonstrators wearing national flags walk past a street vendor during a protest demanding a change of the power structure in Algiers, Algeria January 24, 2020. (Reuters)

Three Algerian activists awaiting trial in prison were rushed to hospital Tuesday, 10 days after they began a hunger strike protesting their detention, the CNLD prisoners’ rights group said.

Mohamed Tadjadit, Noureddine Khimoud and Abdelhak Ben Rahmani began their hunger strike in a jail in the capital Algiers on December 27 to protest the extension of their pre-trial detention and denial of bail.

Their lawyer, Meriem Kacimi, confirmed the three had been taken to hospital in Algiers.

“They are tired but they are now being monitored,” she said. “The doctors are awaiting the results of their tests.”

The three men are activists linked to the long-running Hirak mass protest movement.

They face multiple charges, including damaging national unity, insulting the president, inciting protest and spreading false news – with evidence based on messages and videos posted online – the CNLD said.

Tadjadit and Khimoud, 25, have been in detention since August 2020, arrested the day after taking part in a protest in Algiers.

Thirty-eight-year-old Rahmani was arrested in October.

Tadjadit, 26, dubbed the “poet of Hirak” for verses recited during demonstrations or posted on social media, already served a short jail sentence in 2020 for “undermining the national interest.”

Algerian authorities have arrested and prosecuted several activists in a bid to stem the Hirak protests.

The Hirak launched vast street demonstrations in early 2019 to oppose then-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term in office.

Following his resignation that April, the Hirak kept up the pressure to demand a full overhaul of the ruling system in place since the North African nation’s 1962 independence from France.

source: AFP

Image source: Reuters

Levant

Ordeal of the downed Ukrainian plane victims’ families Qatar welcomes AlUla declaration amid GCC summit: SPA

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.