By AFP | Jul 7, 2010
Young Algerians jailed for flag-burning at housing protest
Eighteen young Algerians have been sentenced to prison terms of two to eight years for burning the national flag during a housing protest, judicial officials said on Wednesday.
They were also ordered to each pay a fine of one million dinars (10,000 euros, 13,000 dollars) by the court in El Hadjar, near Annaba in the northeast corner of Algeria, the officials said.
The court heard that the accused set fire to the Algerian flag and brandished a French tricolour at the June 19 protest to demand social housing for inhabitants of Sidi Salem, a shantytown district of Annaba.
The protest -- which reflected a chronic shortage of housing throughout Algeria -- turned violent, with police clashing with demonstrators.Prosecutors had asked for prison terms of five to 10 years.
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