From: jisrawi@physics.rutgers.edu
Subject: Algeria: Minbar (FIS newsletter)
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Originator: Mughal@Romeo.Caltech.Edu (Asim Mughal -Moderator)
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 08:00:00 GMT


[Postmarked: 21 Jul 92 ]

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*   MINBAR AL-JUMAA	 SPECIAL ISSUE No. 5	ALGIERS: JUNE 28, 1992  *
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READ & DISTRIBUTE --- IQRAA WA WAZZ'I ---- LIRE ET FAIRE LIRE 

==IN THIS ISSUE==

*  ALI BENHADJ ASSAULTED BY A GENDARME

*  THE TRIAL OF BLIDA 
   THE LAWYERS PRESSURED TO REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM THE CASE

*  THE MORALE OF THE CHOUYOUKH
   ALI BENHADJ: ALLAH IS GREATER THAN THE OVERBEARING AND THE TYRANTS!

*  THE DISGUISED CLOSED DOORS HAD FAILED
   THE FOREIGN OBSERVERS HAD BEEN DENIED ACCESS




*  ALI BENHADJ ASSAULTED BY A GENDARME
    When the president ordered the accused to retire, Ali Benhadj had been
violently pushed to the ground by a gendarme. Immediately, the lawyers who
witnessed the event had lodged a protest. Another version tells of Benhadj
being hit with a gun.
    We are warning you that such acts will not go unpunished.
    Despite its position as an adversary, the military justice must
guarantee the safety and the integrity already violated of our chouyoukh.


*  THE TRIAL OF BLIDA
   THE LAWYERS PRESSURED TO REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM THE CASE
    The day of the trial was rich in episodes of violations of the basic
defense rights. From the early stages of the trial, the lawyers kept
complaining about all the plots to restrict their work, their rights and
which are pushing them to quit.
    Everything was fair play. From a direct threat to bribery, including
visits limitations, indecent searches...
    The day of the trial, they were not granted a single privilege through
road blocks or access to court. Furthermore, they had to submit to verbal
violence from the gendarmes who even dared throw the book at one of them.
    The occult tactics of the junta were meant to get the lawyers to
disqualify themselves from the case giving the junta the freedom to choose
lawyers that will guarantee a trial 'without problems'.



*  THE MORALE OF THE CHOUYOUKH
   ALI BENHADJ: ALLAH IS GREATER THAN THE OVERBEARING AND THE TYRANTS!
    Serene, confident, high chin, unshakable morale, the words still concise
and direct, and more to describe our chouyoukh on june 27.
    Ali Benhadj has twice shaken the president and even decided to address
the tyrants : "your justice is occult".
    Abassi has been serene as always and so was Guemmazi.
    Chigara has reminded the court of his revolutionary past and has
expressed his surprise to his being questionned about his loyalty to the
covenant of November 1. Ali Djeddi, Omar, Boukhemkhem, all did not mince
their words when denouncing this trial as a travesti of justice. One of them
at a moment of hesitation had been comforted by Ali Benhadj who told him :
"Thebbet rouhek"(get hold of yourself), "Ibtessim" (Smile). Abdelkader
Hachani, a witness in this case, has refused to shake the hand of the
traitor Merani.

*  THE DISGUISED CLOSED DOORS HAD FAILED
   THE FOREIN OBSERVERS HAD BEEN DENIED ACCESS
    Many foreign personalities who had come to attend the trial as observers
had been denied access to the court room. Such was the case of Verges ex-
lawyer of the FLN the war of independence, of the representative of Amnesty
International who could only see a confirmation of the continuation of the
human rights violations in Algeria under the HCE, and five moroccan lawyers.
    Verges, sent back at the door of the military court has discovered that
the promises of transparency of the trial were only lies. "Ali Haroun is a
'potiche'(a man without real power), It is the military that govern" Verges
said.