(FIJALGER/IFEX) – Fadhila Nedjma, journalist from the Arabic language weekly “Echourouk”, and Adel Zerrouk, Algiers correspondent for the Arabic language daily “Erraï”, were killed on Thursday 14 June 2001, in the afternoon, during a demonstration in Algiers, which was the scene of violent confrontations. According to a senior official from the Algerian Ministry of the […]
(FIJALGER/IFEX) – Fadhila Nedjma, journalist from the Arabic language weekly “Echourouk”, and Adel Zerrouk, Algiers correspondent for the Arabic language daily “Erraï”, were killed on Thursday 14 June 2001, in the afternoon, during a demonstration in Algiers, which was the scene of violent confrontations.
According to a senior official from the Algerian Ministry of the Interior, Nedjma was struck by a bus and died later in hospital of chest and leg injuries. The circumstances of the accident remain unclear.
According to the accounts of several journalists, demonstrators attacked a garage owned by the bus transportation company ETUSA and began to burn company vehicles. In an effort to save their buses, the company’s drivers, who were at the scene, quickly drove the buses out of the garage. In his haste, one of the drivers reportedly struck a group of persons, including the deceased journalist Nedjma.
According to the same senior Ministry of the Interior official, Zerrouk was reportedly trampled by the crowd of demonstrators.
The authorities launched an inquiry in order to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two journalists, who were the only persons killed during the violent demonstration.