ALGERIA IS EVEN WORSE THAN SYRIA

  • by Johan Galtung
  • Inter Press Service

On 16 January, French minister of interior ordered the arrest of Swiss-based Dr. Mourad Dhina, a physicist at CERN and the Swiss Federal Polytechnic Institute and executive director of Alkarama ("dignity"), a Swiss foundation working on human rights in the Arab world. Though he is a totally nonviolent campaigner for human rights and democracy, Dhina was arrested at the request of the Algerian authorities, who are seeking his extradition for prosecution on charges that he belonged to an armed terrorist group in Switzerland in the 1990s, writes Johan Galtung, Rector of the TRANSCEND Peace University and co-author with Paul Scott of "Democracy - Peace - Development".

In this analysis, Galtung writes that there is also reason to fear that Dr. Dhina would be at risk of torture if he were sent back to Algeria, given the documented use of torture by the Algerian authorities. Moreover, Algeria's record of convicting suspects in manifestly unfair trials in cases involving allegations of terrorism would put Dr. Dhina at risk of a conviction and a prison term on the basis of a trial that would fall far short of international norms for a fairness and would violate the prohibition against refoulement.

Given the key role France has played in the establishment of an international system for the promotion and protection of human rights, and the emphasis it places on the respect of human rights domestically, we hope that the prime minister will be able to assist in protecting Dr. Dhina's rights by ensuring that he is not extradited. Furthermore, if there is no credible evidence that he has committed any crimes that are recognised as such under international standards, French authorities should release him immediately. France must uphold its international obligations with respect to human rights and avoid possible complicity in efforts by Algerian authorities to stifle opposition and human rights activities by Algerians in exile.

(*) Johan Galtung, Rector of the TRANSCEND Peace University, is co-author with Paul Scott of "Democracy - Peace - Development".

© Inter Press Service (2012) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service