Abdelghani Hamel: “I won’t condone any abuses by failing police officers”

The General Manager of the National Police Services (DGSN), Major General, Abdelghani Hamel, gave explanations on Sunday about the management by police forces of the street demonstrations by opponents of outgoing president Bouteflika’s re-election bid for a fourth mandate.

He told press conference held in Algiers that the maintaining of law and order was exclusively devolved upon the administrative authority stressing that the national police was bound by the principle of observing neutrality and abiding by human rights in dealing with the protesters.

The DGSN General Manager also pointed out that he wouldn’t condone any lapses or abuses by failing police officers in the handling of protesters, adding that he wouldn’t waver to impose sanctions on them, if need be.

 He also asserted that the Algerian police missions were being exercised within a legal framework and in respect for legality and basic human rights.

 Abdelghani Hamel further indicated that the protesters rounded up in the latest demonstrations in Algiers and elsewhere in the country had been treated humanely and in accordance with the law while in police custody before being released.

 The DGSN chief added that the overall security situation was steadily improving in the country, apart from some street protests here and there, stressing by the same token that the national police services had registered a significant slump in crimes committed in the year 2013.