§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have about the current numbers of people held in Algeria (a) without trial and (b) in concentration camps; and whether any camps are located in former nuclear weapons testing areas. [HL149]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThe Algerian Government do not release information on the number, category or location of prisoners in Algeria. However, I refer the noble Lord to a US State Department report dated 30 January 1998 (copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House) which indicates that, while state of emergency regulations authorise the Algerian Ministry of the Interior to detain suspects in special camps administered by the army, the last such camp closed in November 1995. Although there have been subsequent reports that some of those released were rearrested, we have no information about possible numbers or location.