The Algerian government and armed groups are guilty of crimes against humanity and must realize their promises to halt the violence, stated a report released by Amnesty International on Tuesday.
The human rights organization claimed that torture is rampant in state prisons and that the government, as well as state-armed militia groups, is responsible for thousands of “disappearances.” Furthermore, armed groups based in the North African state must cease the widespread abduction, rape and torture of civilians.
Even though the human rights situation has improved since the late 1990s, up to 100 people, mostly civilians, are still killed every month in Algeria, the report stated.
“Algeria: No More Promises but Deeds” was published on the fourth anniversary of the Civil Harmony Law, President ‘Abd Al-‘Aziz Bouteflika’s attempt to restore stability.
Violence has plagued the largely Sunni Muslim state since the victory of the FIS Islamist party was annulled in the country’s 1991 national elections. Since then, the military, backed by the secular state, has been engaged in a war of attrition with the FIS.
In 2000, as part of the Civil Harmony law, Bouteflika granted amnesty to up to 6,000 Islamic militants convicted of crimes such as murder, rape and torture, in an attempt to convert terrorist groups into political entities and bring about national reconciliation.
The report claimed that the amnesty “prevented the truth from emerging about grave human rights abuses and ensured impunity for the perpetrators, thus depriving tens of thousands of victims of their right to redress.” Similarly, Amnesty International called on Algeria to revoke the prisoner release.
While the Civil Harmony Law was characterized as a failure by Algeria’s independent press and human rights groups like Amnesty International, the state newspaper Al-Moujahid published an article on Tuesday called “Peace Re-Discovered,” lauding the progress Algeria has made towards full democracy since 1999.
Algeria’s independent press is highly critical of the state. Last month, the publication of six independent newspapers was halted for several days. The state claimed that the publications’ management had not paid their outstanding debts. Editors and free press activists called it a breach of press freedom. Click here to read more [1]
On Tuesday, Le Matin, one of the country’s most outspoken newspapers, accused Bouteflika’s government of courting the Islamist vote as well as Iran, in particular for his appointment of Foreign Minister ‘Abd Al-‘Aziz Belkhadem as head of a committee to re-invigorate the FLN (National Liberation Front), Algeria’s former dictatorial party. Belkhadem has long had friendly relations with Iran, as well as the FLN, according to Le Matin’s reports.
Bouteflika is up for re-election in 2004.
Also yesterday, Fouad Boughanem, the editor of Soir d’Algérie, another francophone newspaper, was arrested for denouncing the president.
Algeria imposes strict limitations on the press, particularly foreign media. Dozens of journalists have been killed or abducted in the violent conflict between Islamic militants and the state in the past ten years, according to press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders.