Forced disappearance of Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Algeria.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source and Antenna International, member organisation of OMCT SOS-Torture network, about the forced disappearance of Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum, resident of El Oued and aged 30 years old, since 12 March 2008.

According to the information received, on 12 March 2008 around 7:00pm, Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum went to a public telephone following a phone call he had received. As he did not come back, Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum’s wife tried to call him on his portable but to no avail. On 15 May 2008, she reported his disappearance at the police station of Guemmar, where police officers reportedly responded not to detain Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum. According to the same information, three of his friends were arrested in Oued R’hiou, wilaya de Relizane, a few days before his disappearance.

Since 12 March 2008, Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum’s family has no information on his whereabouts.

The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern over the forced disappearance of Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum and the risks of torture he faces. OMCT urges the Algerian authorities to locate him rapidly while guaranteeing his physical and psychological integrity. OMCT recalls that Algeria is a State party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, that prohibits torture and ill treatments. Furthermore, OMCT calls on the Algerian authorities to guarantee at all times the liberty of their citizens, in conformity to article 9.1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Algeria is a party, which specifies that «no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention ».

Requested Action

Please write to the authorities in Algeria urging them to:

1. Take the necessary measures to locate Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum;
2. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum, as well as immediate and unconditional access to legal representation, his family and adequate medical care if necessary;
3. Order the immediate release of Mr. Mohamed Ben Missoum in the absence of valid legal charges, and if such charges exist, ensure that he is given a prompt and fair trial, in which his procedural rights are guaranteed at all times;
4. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
5. Ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

• Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the Republic, El Mouradia-BP Alger Gare, Fax 00213 21 69 15 95, E-mail: President@el-mouradia.dz
• Mr. Tayeb Belaiz, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 8 Place Bir-Hakem El-Biar, Alger, Algeria, Fax 00 213 21 92 17 01/ 29 56, E-mail: info@mjustice.dz
• H.E. Idriss Jazaïry, Ambassador, Permanent representative of Algeria to the UN in Geneva, Route de Lausanne 308, CH-1293, Bellevue, Switzerland, E-mail: mission.algerie@mission-algerie.ch, Fax: +4122 / 774.30.49
• Embassy of Algeria in Belgium, Molière ave 207, 1050 Brussels, Fax: 0032 343 51 68, E-mail: info@algerian-embassy.be

Please also write to the embassies of Algeria in your respective country.

Geneva, 2 June 2008

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.