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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE 21 November 2000
AI Index MDE 28/016/2000 - News Service Nr. 222
Algeria: Lack of concrete progress on outstanding concerns is
disappointing
"The lack of concrete action by the Algerian authorities to address the
wide range of outstanding human rights concerns, repeatedly raised by
victims, their families and Algerian and international organizations, is a
cause for deep disappointment," Amnesty International's delegates who
visited Algeria from 5-19 November, have said.
Amnesty International welcomed the encouraging statements made over
the past year by the Algerian authorities at the highest level. These
included the authorities' wish to deal with these outstanding concerns and
to further the dialogue and cooperation with Amnesty International and
other human rights organizations on human rights issues. However, the human
rights organization believes that these statements and promises have yet to
be translated into concrete action.
"The Algerian authorities have not responded to a single request for
information concerning the outcome of investigations into specific cases of
human rights abuses or for crucial facts and figures about recent measures
granting amnesty or exemption from prosecution," said Roger Clark, head of
Amnesty International's delegation to Algeria.
Even though the cases of violations are substantially fewer in
comparison to some years ago, cases of "disappearances", secret detention
and torture, including for common-law detainees, continue to occur. The
lack of action to address such cases stands in stark contrast with the
authorities' repeatedly stated commitment to respect and protect human
rights and to hold those responsible for the violations accountable for
their actions.
"Impunity and a lack of investigations are still the norm, even when
the violations are brought to the authorities' attention immediately," said
Roger Clark.
Amnesty International strongly supports the demands of the victims,
the victims' families and the Algerian human rights defenders, who work
under stress, for the truth to be revealed and justice to be carried out.
Victims and families of victims are frustrated by what they consider
to be a lack of political will to establish the truth about the violations
and abuses committed by security forces, state-armed militias and armed
groups during the last decade and to bring those responsible to justice.
"Promises of judicial reforms are encouraging, but they must be
accompanied by concrete measures to enforce existing laws," Amnesty
International said. "Unless justice is done and seen to be done it will be
difficult to restore people's confidence in a justice system which
continues to deny people due redress."
Background
The Amnesty International delegation was composed of Roger Clark, former
Director of the Canadian Section (Anglophone) of Amnesty International and
Director of the Africa Program at the organization's International
Secretariat, Donatella Rovera and Philip Luther, both staff members in the
Middle East and North Africa Program of the organization's International
Secretariat.
During their stay in Algeria, the delegates met with officials in the
Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Justice, the President of the
Supreme Court and the President and board members of the National Human
Rights Observatory "Observatoire national des droits de l'homme" (ONDH),
the official human rights monitoring body. No response was given to the
organization's requests to meet Prime Minister Ali Benflis, Foreign
Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem, the General Attorney of the Algiers court,
and key military authorities, namely General Mohamed Lamari, Chief of
Staff, General Smain Lamari, head of counter-espionage, and General Mohamed
Mediene, known as Toufik, head of Military Security. The delegation also
met with non-governmental organizations, lawyers and other human rights
activists working for the protection and promotion of human rights and
public liberties, as well as with victims and victims' families.
In the course of their visit the organization's delegates were kept
under close surveillance by plain-clothes individuals who followed them and
often filmed their meetings and activities. Such obvious surveillance
appeared to discourage some people from meeting with the delegates.
Amnesty International last visited Algeria earlier this year, between
2 and 14 May 2000, when the organization was granted access to the country
for the first time since May 1996. Other international organizations which
had also been denied access to the country for some years were also allowed
to return to Algeria in May and June 2000. After its May 2000 visit Amnesty
International asked to return to Algeria for a follow-up visit. The request
was eventually accepted by the authorities for the period from 5 to 19
November 2000.
See also:
"Algeria: Truth and justice obscured by the shadow of impunity AI Index:
MDE 28/11/00, 8 November 2000 (report)
"Algeria: Truth and justice should not be obscured by impunity" AI Index:
MDE 28/14/00, 8 November 2000 (press release)
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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in
London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW web :
http://www.amnesty.org
