Human rights' commission to visit those held for questioning in police or Gendarmerie custody

The chairman of the consultative commission in charge of the protection of human rights, Farouk Ksentini, has told Echorouk that his commission members are getting ready to pay unexpected visits to those suspects held in police and Gendarmerie custody for questioning as part of the defense of human rights and the strict implementation of the rule of law in Algeria. 

• Farouk Ksentini said that he had already  conveyed an official request to this effect to the relevant authorities in the hope of securing a positive reply in the next few days.
• He also indicated that the projected inspection visits to Police and Gendarmerie custody would be carried out only in the big urban centers of the various provinces of the country where the scourge of crime and other public offenses is more prevalent contrary to the small towns and villages across the national territory.
• Farouk Ksentini stressed that these surprise inspection visits would allow the commission members to see for themselves the health condition of those suspects held in Police and Gendarmerie custody with the aim of averting any human rights abuses during their brief detention ahead of their appearance before the examining magistrate and later on before justice for a fair trial.
• Farouk Ksentini added that the human rights’ commission members would ultimately work out a comprehensive and exhaustive report on the findings of their inspection visits on the ground.
• This overall assessment report, he said, will be then submitted to the high appreciation of the President of the Republic Mr. Abdellaziz Bouteflika who will take himself the necessary remedial decisions, if any.