Disbanded Parties Cannot Return to Politics, Ksentini

Farouk Ksentini, the Head of the National Advisory Commission for Human Rights (CNDPDH), said former senior officials of disbanded political parties could return to the political scene, either by forming new parties or joining already existing ones.

Mr Ksentini said in an interview with the local French speaking Radio Channel III on Wednesday that the draft bill on political parties approved recently by the government and submitted for examination to the Parliament is clear in terms of banning disbanded political parties from returning to the arena, in reference to the disbanded Islamist Salvation Front (FIS).

“Evidently, when it comes to a decision of justice, it must be respected,” the official said, stressing that “when a political party is subject to lawful disband, it could never return to political activity.”

However, Head of CNDPDH further admitted that the senior officials, who once set up the disbanded parties, can create new parties or join others, to express themselves politically. 

 “In democracy, all tendencies have the right to express themselves if they gave up violence; it is a fundamental requirement,” he said. 

On another side, Mr Ksentini said discussions held on Tuesday in Algiers with representatives of International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions permitted to present the true image of the situation of human rights in the North African nation. 

“The International Coordinating Committee have taken a different version over the situation of human rights here, quite different of the one being promoted by enemies of Algeria who are alleging that human rights are abused and there’s no freedom of press,” stressing that “We have managed giving the true situation of human rights in Algeria, and thus put things in their proper place.” 

The ICC coordinates the relationship between National Human Rights Institutions and the United Nations human rights system.

Invited by the CNDPDH, an ICC delegation headed by Ms Rossylinealina Noonan has started on Thursday a three day visit to Algeria, to inspect the situation of human rights and hold talks with Algerian officials.