Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Algerian pro-democracy opposition party, Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), said it would stage a rally in Algiers on Saturday to call for democracy, defying a government ban on such a meeting, AFP said.
Public grievances over unemployment and rising costs sparked protests in Algeria earlier this month which left five people dead and more than 800 injured.
Observers have said that the Tunisia’s kind of protests could break out in Algeria.
Security services are on alert and local officials have received instructions to avoid provocations, according to local newspaper Oran Daily.
Youth unemployment is a major issue in Algeria, a country where, according to the authorities, 15 million of the 36 million population is under the age of 30.
Algeria's League for the Defence of Human Rights and four labour unions said they had scheduled a meeting for Friday to address youth unemployment.
The ruling party held a similar gathering Wednesday, which allowed students to air their grievances.