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Algeria cites coronavirus amid ban on anti-government protests

Algeria's president called for measures that would prioritize citizens' health but restrict their freedoms.
A demonstrator wearing a face mask carries a placard that reads: "The authority and its supporters are deadlier than the Coronavirus " during an anti-government protest in Algiers, Algeria February 28, 2020.  REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina - RC2S9F9KLXXC

Following a year of mass anti-government demonstrations, Algeria is tightening its grip on the streets with a ban on all protests and marches in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. During a televised address Tuesday, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune told the nation it must prioritize the health of its citizens. 

“The lives of citizens are above all considerations, even if this requires restricting some freedoms,” said Tebboune.

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