Algeria signs convention on forced disappearances

07/02/2007

[File] Douste-Blazy

Algeria was among the 60 countries that signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, on Tuesday (February 6th) in Paris. The convention, adopted December 20th, 2006, at the UN General Assembly in New York, is based on the premise that victims of abductions and their families have the right to know the truth about the circumstances and fate of those who fall under enforced disappearances.

The signing ceremony, hosted by French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, was held under the patronage of French President Jacques Chirac and the auspices of the UN. "This treaty closes the glaring gap in international human rights by making explicit the prohibition on disappearances," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louis Arbour said. She stressed that the objective from now on will be "to ensure that new convention is promptly applied to meet the hopes and the demands for justice of the victims and their families and satisfy their right to know." (APS, UN News Centre)