Algeria’s former Defense Minister, General Khaled Nezzar, has been at the center of a diplomatic storm following a reported visit by the Saudi ambassador to Algeria, Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Busairi. The visit, which was said to be a courtesy call, has stirred significant controversy. While some media outlets reported on the visit, General Nezzar, through his personal website, vehemently denied it, emphasizing that he had ceased all political activities since his retirement.
Nezzar’s denial was seen by some as an embarrassment to Saudi Arabia and its ambassador in Algeria. The general, often referred to as the “Butcher of the Black Decade,” has been under scrutiny for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during Algeria’s tumultuous 1990s. Recently, the Swiss Attorney General’s office announced its intention to prosecute Nezzar for these alleged crimes, focusing on incidents between 1992 and 1994.
This decision by the Swiss judiciary has led to a diplomatic rift between Algeria and Switzerland. Algeria’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Attaf, expressed his strong protest in a phone call with his Swiss counterpart, asserting that it’s unacceptable for Swiss justice to pass judgments on the political choices of an independent and sovereign nation concerning national security matters.