Algeria permits international committee to visit its prisons
Algeria, Politics, 3/19/1999

The Algerian mission to the UN in Geneva announced on Thursday that Algeria had approved that the International Committee of the Red Cross resume its visits to the country's prisons after a six-year suspension.

The spokeswoman for the committee, Susan Burjeh, expressed her "satisfaction" with the decision made by Algeria which came as a fruit of a several-month dialogue with the Algerian authorities.

The Algerian ambassador to the UN, Muhammad Salah Dampari, said in a message sent to the chairman of the ICRC, Cornillo Sumarogha, that, "These visits can be made immediately after the Algerian presidential elections," whose first session will be held on April 15.

In 1992, the ICRC suspended its visits to the Algerian. prisons following the escalation of military operations carried out by extremist Islamists after the cancellation of the second round of elections, which the Islamic Salvation Front was about to win.

The ICRC asked to be permitted to resume its visits but on the condition that these visits will be free and without the control of a third party.

However, the Algerian decision came just several days before the beginning of the annual meeting of the UN human rights committee due to be held in Geneva on March 22 - 30.

Previous Stories:
  Candidate: Algerian elections a chance for ending death and ruin   (3/18/1999)
  Algerian presidential candidates' programs   (3/12/1999)
  Algeria refuses US call to invite UN observers to supervise presidential elections   (2/26/1999)

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