Algeria Surrounds Fugitives From Justice By Sealing International Extradition Agreements

After the visits that led him to Spain and Lebanon a few days ago, and the signing of agreements for judicial cooperation and the exchange of wanted persons, the Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals, Abderachid Tabi, embarked on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of the Kingdom’s Attorney General Saud bin Abdulah Al Mouadjeb.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Justice, this visit aims to “discuss ways of cooperation and exchange experiences between the two brotherly countries, and to sign a memorandum of understanding on judicial cooperation between Algeria and Riyadh”.

The statement pointed out that the aforementioned memorandum of understanding will be “complementary to the framework agreement sealed between the two countries, in particular the Riyadh Agreement on Judicial Cooperation of 1983, and the Agreement on Extradition of Criminals and Convicts for the year 2013”.

This visit comes within a pre-established agenda aimed at consolidating Algeria’s relations with brotherly and friendly countries in the field of judicial cooperation. This context dates back to 2013.

Such agreements contribute to receiving the wanted persons to justice in both countries, and also contribute to preparing for the recovery of the looted and smuggled funds abroad, especially since the recent agreements signed between Algeria and Spain and Lebanon were preceded by an unofficial talk about the attempts of some parties accused of corruption and fugitives from Algerian justice, aimed at selling properties that are in a state of seizure by decisions issued by the Algerian justice, which prompted the authorities to hurry to contain such illegal attempts, by confirming the issuance of orders to seize the properties of convicted defendants.

It is expected that the Minister of Justice will continue, in the near future, the path of bolstering judicial cooperation with other Arab and non-Arab countries, which are rumored to harbor smuggled Algerian funds and whose owners are convicted in corruption cases, especially since the country’s first magistrate has placed the recovery of looted funds among the priorities of his electoral agenda.

In another context, the Minister of Interior, Local Assemblies and Territorial Development, Kamal Beldjoud, is for his part on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, lasting three days, and aims to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement by the ministry.

Beldjoud’s visit to Riyadh comes at the invitation of his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, during which they will “tackle ways to shore up bilateral cooperation in areas of common interest”.

On the occasion, Interior Minister Beldjoud will visit the International Defense Exhibition, which is being held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.