Amnesty Calls for Action on Human Rights Abuses Ahead of Algerian “Elections”

Yesterday, Amnesty International released a new report, “A Legacy of Impunity: A Threat to Algeria’s Future” expressing concern over the lack of investigation into the 200,000 deaths, mostly by the hands of security forces, which occurred during the 1990s.  On its website, Amnesty UK explains “[s]ince 1999 the current president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has instigated and promoted widespread ‘amnesty’ measures, effectively preventing victims and their families from obtaining truth, justice, and reparation. Most crimes that took place during the conflict have never been investigated and the perpetrators never brought to justice.”

And speaking of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, it looks like he is one step closer to governing for life, “following the best traditions of the Arab world.” Mahmoud Belhimer explains that in reality “the result of these elections were announced on November12, 2008, when a review of the constitution was approved by the two chambers of parliament amending Article 74 of the 1996 Constitution that restricted presidents to serving two mandates.” This allowed Bouteflika to pursue a third term, which he is sure to win as there are no true challengers to his candidacy.