§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean raised human rights issues on her visit to Algeria and Tunisia; whether she sought or received assurances that those countries would comply fully with the United Nations Human Rights Commission's special procedures; and whether she explained to the President of Algeria that the proposal he made on 1 November 2004 for an amnesty for crimes committed by the army, police and security forces could not lawfully cover acts of torture. [HL848]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanI discussed a wide range of human rights issues during my recent visit to Algeria and Tunisia. The UK—with EU partners—continues to raise human rights issues with both Algeria and Tunisia in the context of EU political dialogue.