Arrested, Questioned and Released: General Khaled Nezzar arrested in Switzerland suspicion of having committed war crimes and crimes against humanity

The former general, Khaled Nezzar, was arrested and questioned in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday October 20th, at the request of prosecutors following an investigation initiated on the basis of a complaint by the Swiss association of Trial.

General Nezzar is a former Algerian general and defence minister who led the coup on 11 January 1992 and later held the post of Vice-President of the Supreme Council of the State, which seized power on 16 January 1992 after the removal of President Chadli Ben Jadid.

The arrest of General Nezzar was to investigate him on suspicion of having committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the 1990s, following complaints made by victims of Algerian residents in Switzerland. The criminal charge was filed by Trial (Track Impunity Always), a Swiss Association aiming to provide a service to victims of serious crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and forced disappearances).

General Nezzar was kept in custody for 36 hours before being heard by the judge where he was released shortly after. According to the Trial Association this release was made on the basis of promises to appear in the subsequent procedure.

Whatever the decision of federal prosecutor and the Swiss courts was, this procedure is an important step in discovering the truth and the growing fight against impunity.

Source (translated from) : http://www.algeriachannel.net/?p=6824