Algeria protester dies after ‘police beating’

Algiers - A young Algerian protester has died from head injuries that his family and friends believe were caused by a police beating.

Friend and neighbour Lyes Lamara says that protester Yettou Ramzi died and was buried Friday after several days in an Algiers hospital.

The neighbour told The Associated Press that Ramzi was injured during pro-democracy protests April 10. That protest was the most violent in two months of overwhelmingly peaceful demonstrations.

The neighbour says that the family believes Ramzi was injured when police hit him on the head with truncheons, and wants an investigation opened.

Algiers police and the hospital where Ramzi was treated would not comment Saturday.

Protests and pressure from the army brought down Algeria’s longtime President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika but demonstrators want deeper change.