Said Bouteflika was a key figure among Algeria’s leadership
ALGIERS, Sept 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The brother of Algeria’s deposed former president has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiring against the state and undermining the military.
Said Bouteflika was widely seen as the real power behind the presidency after his older brother, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, suffered a stroke in 2013.
Two former secret service chiefs and a political party head were also sentenced after the two-day trial.
President Bouteflika was ousted in April following pro-democracy protests.
The defendants were detained in May during a wave of arrests targeting the former president’s inner circle.
The ailing ex-leader is in a residence west of Algiers, and is not expected to face trial.
The charges related to an alleged meeting between Said Bouteflika and his co-defendants in March.
He was accused of conspiring with two secret service leaders, Gen Mohamed Mediene and Gen Athmane Tartag, and the head of The Workers’ Party, Louisa Hanoune.
They were said to be considering declaring a state of emergency and firing the army chief, Gen Ahmed Gaid Salah, as protests against the president were mounting.
Gen Salah remains the head of the armed forces and is considered to be the most powerful man in the country, but the speaker of parliament’s upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, is the interim president.
Several former cabinet ministers, political leaders and businessmen linked to the ousted leader have also been detained.
A presidential election that would pave the way to the return of constitutional rule have been called for Dec 12.
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. — NNN-AGENCIES
