Algerian Radio
Members of the People’s National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously approved a draft law criminalizing French colonialism in Algeria.
The vote took place during a public session chaired by Mr. Ibrahim Boughali, President of the People’s National Assembly, in the presence of the Minister of Relations with Parliament, Ms. Nadjiba Djilali, and members of the government.
This text, set out in five chapters comprising 27 articles, is based on “the principles of international law that affirm the right of peoples to legal redress, the achievement of historical justice, and the rejection of impunity.”
The law enumerates the crimes of French colonialism and establishes the responsibility of the French state for its colonial past in Algeria. It also lays down mechanisms for demanding recognition and apology, while introducing criminal provisions to penalize the glorification or promotion of colonialism.
The text further aims to consolidate these responsibilities as a basis for reconciliation with history and for the protection of national memory.
