FRANCE: INTERVIEW OF ALGERIAN OPPOSITION LEADER, MR KRIM BELKACEM, SENTENCED TO DEATH IN HIS ABSENCE ON APRIL 7TH

Record ID: 574452

  • Title: FRANCE: INTERVIEW OF ALGERIAN OPPOSITION LEADER, MR KRIM BELKACEM, SENTENCED TO DEATH IN HIS ABSENCE ON APRIL 7TH
  • Date: 10th April 1969
  • Summary: 1. SV KRIM BELKACEM TALKING WITH REPORTER (SILENT) 0.22 2. CU BELKACEM (SOF) IN FRENCH 3.10 Initials SW/V/BOB/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 25th April 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA12594LFQNE1D3YISXWP60JWQW
  • Story Text: AT A TRIAL AT ORAN IN WESTERN ALGERIA ON APRIL 7TH, THREE PEOPLE WERE SENTENCED TO DEATH AND MANY OTHERS SENTENCED TO VARIOUS TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT ON CHARGES OF CONSPIRING AGAINST THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT. AMONG THOSE SENTENCED TO DEATH WAS MR KRIMBELKACEM WHO LIVES IN PARIS.

    THE THREE MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH WERE: AMIRAT SLIMANE, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ALGERIAN PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT, TAMSAOUT BELKACEM AND KRIM BELKACEM. THE LAST TWO WERE BOTH SENTENCED IN THEIR ABSENCE, WHEREAS SLIMANE IS IN PRISON AND MY BE SHOT AT ANY MOMENT.

    KRIM BELKACEM WAS DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT SET UP IN ALGERIA BEFORE INDEPENDENCE. HE HAD BEEN ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE ALGERIAN UPRISING. IN OCTOBER 1967 HE FORMED AN OPPOSITION GROUP CALLED THE 'DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT FOR ALGERIAN RENEWAL', AND THOUGH LIVING IN EXILE IN FRANCE HE HAS WITH SOME OF HIS FRIENDS MOUNTED AN ACTIVE CAMPAIGN AGAINST PRESIDENT BOUMEDIENNE SINCE THAT DATE.

    AT THE TRIAL THERE WERE 56 DEFENDANTS WHO APPEARED BEFORE AN ELEVEN-MAN COURT CONSISTING OF NINE OFFICERS AND TWO CIVILIANS. BESIDES THE DEATH SENTENCES NINE PEOPLE WERE GIVEN LIFE IMPRISONMENT. THE TRIAL WAS HASTILY CONVENED WHEN ONE OF THE DEFENDANTS, AKLI BELHASSEN, RETURNED FROM FRANCE TWO DAYS AGO AND ADMITTED THAT HE WAS ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF KRIM BELKACEM'S MOVEMENT.

    MR KRIM BELKACEM WAS INTERVIEWED TODAY IN PARIS ABOUT THE TRIAL AND THE SITUATION IN ALGERIA. HE DESCRIBED HIS TRIAL AS A MASQUERADE. THE TRIAL, HE SAID, WAS BECAUSE HE HAD WITH HIS FRIENDS STARTED THE FIGHT TO REESTABLISH IN ALGERIA THE RESPECT OF DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS. HE CRITICISED PRESIDENT BOUMEDIENNE AND HIS REGIME, ACCUSING IT OF IMPOSING ITSELF BY FORCE ON THE ALGERIAN PEOPLE. AFTER WAITING FOR FIVE YEARS, HE AND HIS FRIENDS HAD STARTED THE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT FOR ALGERIAN RENEWAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO GIVE ALGERIA A NEW CONSTITUTION, TO GIVE ALGERIANS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE THEIR OWN FUTURE. THE MOVEMENT WOULD CONTINUE DESPITE THE SENTENCES TO STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY IN ALGERIA.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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