Justice minister: I will not intervene in Chakib Khalil’s case

Algeria’s justice minister Tayeb Louh Wednesday said he is for the independence of justice in the issue of former energy minister Chakib Khalil. “Even me, I don’t have the right to comment on that. Justice is independent and authorities can not be mixed.”

Louh was under pressure as members of Parliament and journalists pushed him to make a statement about Khalil’s issue.

He refused to make any comment about Panama Papers, saying justice will have the last word. “No one is allowed to exploit the issue to make comments and do politics.”

This comes as acting chief of Algeria’s RND party Ahmed Ouyahia said justice is controlled.

Louh said justice authority is independent and treats all the cases freely in accordance with laws. “No one can intervene in justice work or talk about it. Separation principle between authorities should be respected.”

Speaking to journalists, he called on them to defend principles concretized by the State.