Downing Street Says » Algerian President’s visit

» Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Algerian President’s visit

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) confirmed that we had reached an agreement with the Algerians on the framework on returning terror suspects to Algeria. These were called assurances.

Asked if the suspects would be visited by British Consulate representatives, and how could we ensure that they were not exposed to torture, the PMOS pointed people to our experience involving two individuals who were returned to Algeria. They had been released and were with their families. Suspects had benefited from the Charter for Peace and Reconciliation and the associated amnesty which was being introduced by the Algerian Government. What was important was that Algeria was a changed place, and it did have an improved record on human rights.

Asked if anybody from the British Consulate would be visiting the suspects this weekend, the PMOS replied that we would continue to monitor the situation and what happened to these individuals. In terms of the overall situation, it had improved quite considerably.

Asked for further information, the PMOS said that in terms of the individuals who had gone back voluntarily beforehand, the experiences were that they had now been released, and were with their families. The Charter which the Algerian Government introduced did mean that those people who returned could be released in this way.

Asked about monitoring, the PMOS said that it would be down to the Embassy to do so.

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