Confusion still surrounds reported amnesty decision of 54 Algerians detainees in Libya

The Libyan authorities discounted on Friday newspaper reports saying that Libya's leader El Kaddafi had issued an amnesty decree for the benefit of 54 Algerian nationals detained in Libya, for several years, on various charges including theft and drugs smuggling.

The Libyan authorities discounted on Friday newspaper reports saying that Libya’s leader El Kaddafi had issued an amnesty decree for the benefit of 54 Algerian nationals detained in Libya, for several years, on various charges including theft and drugs smuggling.

The head of the national commission in charge of the promotion and safeguarding of human rights Farouk Ksentini earlier said he had been informed by the foreign ministry in Algiers that this file had been sealed and that the detainees would be flown back to Algeria shortly.

In a statement to Echorouk newspaper, the detainees’ families said they were now at a loss and taken aback by this sudden turn of events.

The Libyan denial was aired by the Qatari Al jazeera news channel which quoted Libyan officials as saying that the Algerian detainees’ issue was still pending contrary to Algerian press reports released earlier this week.

The disconcerted detainees’ families are now pinning their hopes on President Bouteflika himself for a high-level intervention to secure a speedy and final solution to this vexed issue.