In a move that has reignited the hopes of many affected by the Algerian civil war, Switzerland has formally charged Khaled Nezzar, the former Algerian Defense Minister, with war crimes and crimes against humanity. This development, as reported by The Guardian, comes as a significant step towards justice for the victims of the conflict that raged between 1991 and 2002.
Nezzar, now 85, is poised to become the most senior military figure to face trial for war crimes under the doctrine of universal jurisdiction. This legal principle empowers nations to prosecute individuals accused of grave international crimes, irrespective of where those crimes occurred or the nationality of the accused.
The Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office unveiled the indictment against Nezzar this Monday, spotlighting his tenure as Algeria’s Defense Minister from 1990 to 1993 and his subsequent role in the High State Council until 1994. Central to the charges is Nezzar’s alleged breach of the laws governing armed conflict, as enshrined in the Geneva Conventions.
The indictment is the culmination of intricate investigations spanning several years, during which as many as 24 witnesses were interrogated. The Swiss authorities contend that Nezzar, at a minimum, turned a blind eye to, and perhaps even orchestrated, acts of torture, physical and psychological abuse, unwarranted arrests and convictions, and extrajudicial killings.
Geneva-based NGO, TRIAL International, which has been at the forefront of the fight against impunity for international crimes, has played a pivotal role in this case. Their relentless efforts have been instrumental in supporting the war victims in their long-standing quest to bring Nezzar to justice.
Abdelwahab Boukzouha, one of the victims, expressed his gratitude for the indictment, emphasizing that his fight is not just personal but on behalf of all those scarred by the “Black Decade” – the dark years of the civil war.
The legal proceedings against Nezzar commenced in 2011 when a criminal complaint led to his arrest on Swiss soil. TRIAL International has hailed the indictment as potentially the last beacon of hope for the victims of the Algerian civil war to see justice served.
In response, Nezzar’s legal team has vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing the probe as politically tainted and fundamentally flawed. They underscored Nezzar’s consistent public denunciation of torture, particularly during the tumultuous 1990s.
The “Black Decade,” marked by the fierce conflict between the Algerian government and Islamist militant factions, left a trail of devastation with nearly 200,000 individuals either missing or dead. Atrocities, including torture and sexual violence, were rampant, with both the military and the insurgent groups implicated in these heinous acts.