URGENT ACTION

PUBLIC; AI Index: MDE 28/02/00 15 March 2000
EXTRA 25/00

Mothers and other relatives of the "disappeared" arrested and Threatened /
Police intimidation / Fear for safety /
Fear of future arrests

ALGERIA Families of the "disappeared"
On 15 March 2000, around 40 relatives of the "disappeared" in Algeria were
arrested by security forces on their way to a planned demonstration in
Relizane, Western Algeria. Although they were released after a few hours
they were interrogated and warned that if they demonstrated again they
would be imprisoned. As the relatives of the "disappeared" of Relizane plan
to demonstrate every Wednesday, Amnesty International is concerned for
their safety.

About 30 women, two of them pregnant, and 10 men were arrested as they made
their way to the demonstration of relatives of the "disappeared", due to
start at 9 am in the Place de la Résistance, a public square. All those
arrested had photographs of their missing loved ones with them and cards
identifying them as belonging to a local committee of families of the
"disappeared".

About 100 other relatives of the "disappeared" were dispersed by the
security forces who had cordoned off the square and taken up positions on
routes being used by the demonstrators to reach the square. Security forces
were reportedly very intimidatory and insulting to many of the
demonstrators. They had anticipated the demonstration following an initial
one held on Wednesday 8 March, International Women's Day, after which the
ongoing campaign of demonstrations had been planned.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since 1993, around 4,000 men and women have "disappeared" in Algeria after
being arrested. Their families have been searching for information on their
whereabouts ever since. They have gone to police stations, army barracks,
prisons, morgues and cemeteries, petitioned the judicial authorities and
appealed to the government, the parliament and the President of the
Republic. Despite government promises in 1998 to carry out investigations
into "disappearances", no concrete action has yet been taken.

For years most families of the "disappeared" have been too afraid to
protest publicly. Since August 1998, however, hundreds of relatives,
especially mothers, began to regularly hold demonstrations in the capital,
Algiers, and other cities demanding news of their missing loved ones. On
some occasions, notably in December 1998 and January and March 1999, the
security forces violently broken up demonstrations in Algiers, ill-treating
several women.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/faxes/express/airmail letters in
Arabic, French, English or your own language:
- expressing concern that about 40 people, including 30 women, were
arrested on 15 March 2000 as they made their way to a peaceful
demonstration in Relizane and were threatened with imprisonment if they
demonstrated again;
- urging the authorities to ensure that the security forces do not arrest,
ill-treat or threaten the families of the "disappeared" for peacefully
demonstrating;
- urging the authorities to investigate all cases of "disappearance" and
clarify their fate;
- reminding the authorities of their commitment to the 10-year UN Beijing
Platform for Action drawn up in 1995 during the UN Fourth World Conference
on women which states, among others, that "Women engaged in the defence of
human rights must be protected....".

APPEALS TO:
M. Yazid ZERHOUNI
Ministre de l'Intérieur
Ministère de l'Intérieur et
des Collectivités Locales
18 rue Docteur Saâdane
Alger
Algérie
Telegrams: Ministre l'Intérieur, Alger, Algérie
Faxes: + 213 Fax number 73 61 06 confirmed by Minister of Interior on
10/1/2000. CJS 2 73 61 06
Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre / Your excellency

M. Ahmed OUYAHIA
Ministre de la Justice
Ministère de la Justice
8 Place Bir Hakem
El Biar
Alger
Algérie
Telegrams: Ministre Justice, Alger, Algérie
Faxes: + 213 2 92 21 95
Salutation: Monsieur le Ministre / Your excellency

COPIES TO:
M. Kamel REZZAG-BARA
President
Observatoire National des Droits de l'Homme (ONDH)
Palais du Peuple
1 Av. Franklin Roosevelt
Alger
Algérie
Faxes: + 213 2 239005 / 239037

and to diplomatic representatives of Algeria accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 15 April 2000.

retour

algeria-watch (deutsch)