Ksentini: Excessive Resort To Detention On Remand Reflects Weakness Of Judicial System

Head of the National Advisory Panel for Human Rights Protection and Promotion (CNCPPDH), Farouk Ksentini, said he urged President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to intervene and put an end to the exaggerated and systematic resort to the detention on remand.

Mr Ksentini said in interview with APS news agency that his committee has elaborated a detailed report on the situation of human rights in the country, and which has been filed to President Office. 

According to Mr Ksentini, the report deplores the exaggerated resort to the detention on remand, which reflects “a big weakness of Algeria’s judicial system.” 

The lawyer has further challenged figures presented by the Ministry of Justice, which said 11 percent of prisoners in Algeria are detained on remand. He said his committee concluded that the third of the existing 56 000 prisoners, are detained on remand. 

He added that “the existing law permits getting rid of such abuse, and only at that moment justice becomes free,” stressing that “the detention on remand has destroyed many families, so far.”