UNITED NATIONS, April 28 (UPI) -- The alleged killing of an Algerian political activist and member of an opposition party is "absolutely unacceptable," a U.N. special envoy said.
The body of Algerian opposition leader and university Professor Ahmed Kerroumi was discovered Friday in his office, four days after he reportedly disappeared.
A Monday account provided by Algerian newspaper Ennahar said the professor died from head trauma, noting there was no evidence to support torture allegations made by his wife.
Nevertheless, Frank La Rue, U.N. special rapporteur on freedom expression said he was "deeply shocked" by the reports.
"His killing is tragic and absolutely unacceptable," he said in a statement. "According to reports I received, Mr. Kerroumi had several head injuries, which leads me to believe that this was an arbitrary deprivation of life."
La Rue had met with Kerroumi during an official visit to Algeria in early April.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika lifted a 19-year state of emergency in February and said a series of reforms to the country's constitution would go into force before national elections in May.
La Rue said after his early April visit that he welcomed the reforms but found the situation in Algeria was "still restrictive."
The body of Algerian opposition leader and university Professor Ahmed Kerroumi was discovered Friday in his office, four days after he reportedly disappeared.
A Monday account provided by Algerian newspaper Ennahar said the professor died from head trauma, noting there was no evidence to support torture allegations made by his wife.
Nevertheless, Frank La Rue, U.N. special rapporteur on freedom expression said he was "deeply shocked" by the reports.
"His killing is tragic and absolutely unacceptable," he said in a statement. "According to reports I received, Mr. Kerroumi had several head injuries, which leads me to believe that this was an arbitrary deprivation of life."
La Rue had met with Kerroumi during an official visit to Algeria in early April.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika lifted a 19-year state of emergency in February and said a series of reforms to the country's constitution would go into force before national elections in May.
La Rue said after his early April visit that he welcomed the reforms but found the situation in Algeria was "still restrictive."
© 2011 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/04/28/Death-of-Algerian-activist-shocks-UN/UPI-78231304016933/#ixzz1Kx25a0dV
No comments:
Post a Comment