| Ahmed Zaoui |
Article Index for Ahmed |
Website Links For Ahmed |
Information AboutAhmed Zaoui |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT AHMED ZAOUI | |
| algerian politicians | |
| zaoui, ahmed | |
| terrorism in algeria | |
| human rights abuses | |
| people convicted on terrorism charges | |
| politics of new zealand | |
| immigration to new zealand | |
|
BACKGROUND Pre 1991 Ahmed Zaoui was born as one of ten children in El Iridissia , in Djelfa Wilaya, and was the son of a Sunni Muslim Iman . His family moved to the town of Medéa when he was young, and after completing high school, he enrolled in Mohamed Ibnsaoud University , in Riyadh , Saudi Arabia between the years of 1980 and 1985, gaining a Bachelor Of Arts . He became engaged and married to an Algerian woman during this time. After returning, he took postgraduate studies at the University Of Algiers and gained a position as an Imam , and as an associate Professor of Theology at the University of Algiers. 1991-2000: Algeria and Europe In 1991, Algeria held its first multiparty elections since independence. Ahmed Zaoui stood as a candidate for the Islamic Salvation Front or FIS. However, the government cancelled 1991 Elections after the first round results showed that the FIS would win, citing fears that the Islamist party would end Democracy . When the government then banned the FIS and arrested thousands of its members, Islamist guerrillas rapidly emerged and began an armed campaign against the government and its supporters which became the Algerian Civil War . In 1993, Zaoui fled to Europe. He was tried and convicted New Zealand In March 1994, , 24.04.2004. While still under a Belgian home detention order which limited his movements to the street he lived on, he travelled illegally to , 01.03.2003. 2000-2002: Travel to Asia then New Zealand Zaoui left Burkina Faso and travelled to Malaysia with his family in 2000. He engaged in political activity with the FIS in exile. In 2001 France convicted him in absentia for "participation in a criminal group with a view to preparing terrorist acts". During his time in Malaysia, the head of the Algerian police services visited to observe Malaysian policing methods. Zaoui believed that this was a pretext, that the real reason was his presence in Malaysia, and that the Malaysian authorities were preparing to detain him. Refugee Appeal No 74540 , Refugee Status Appeals Authority , page 91 He decided to leave Malaysia, and on December 2nd of 2002 he arrived in New Zealand via Vietnam on a false South African passport. IMPRISONMENT IN NEW ZEALAND En route to New Zealand, Zaoui attempted to destroy his false South African passport, and upon arrival, applied for refugee status. Although his identity was initially secret, his name was illegally leaked to the media, and he became the subject of political debate and media scrutiny. His initial application for refugee status by the Refugee Status Board was declined. Although he was recognised as having a well founded fear of persecution, he was excluded as the Board held there were serious reasons to believe he has committed serious criminal or terrorist activities, primarily on evidence given by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service . The SIS issued a , 23.02.2004 Zaoui's lawyers issued a point-by-point response to the summary. Submission to the Prime Minister... in light of "Summary of Allegations and Reasoning" provided by the Director of Security on 27 January 2004 , Dr Rodney Harrison QC, Richard McLeod & Deborah Manning, 16.02.2004 After his arrest, he was initially confined for ten months in the maximum security Paremoremo prison where he was placed on a "non-association regime". While Zaoui and his supporters' have characterised this as being in Solitary Confinement ; this was dismissed as a ‘myth" by the Department Of Corrections . However, in October 2003 his case was reviewed, and citing the "likely length of time before legal proceedings conclude", the Department of Corrections transferred him to the medium security Auckland Remand Prison where he was placed on a ‘normal association regime" Ahmed Zaoui transferred to ACRP following management plan review , Corrections Department NZ Press Release, 16 October 2003. In August 2003 the Refugee Status Appeals Authority declared both his Belgian and French trials to be "unsafe" and granted Zaoui refugee status. Commenting on the information available to them in order to evaluate Zaoui's claim, the RSAA stated that they "...were surprised at how limited it was and the questionable nature of some of the contents" and that "...it does not provide evidence that he has committed, directed or participated in any act of violence or terrorism that would require his being excluded under Article 1F from the protection of the Refugee Convention." Refugee Appeal No 74540 , Refugee Status Appeals Authority , page 208 In September 2004, Prime Minister , 21.09.2004. On 20 October 2004 , many of his supporters participated in a launch of a biographical book in the Beehive foyer in Wellington . BAIL On 9 December 2004 the Supreme Court Of New Zealand granted Zaoui Bail . Despite Crown opposition, the Court allowed him to reside in the Dominican Priory in central Auckland . He must report to the Police twice a week and must spend each night in the Friary between 10pm and 6am. In October 2005 Zaoui published ''Migrant Birds'', ISBN 1-877333-36-0, a book of 24 poems he wrote as a response to being imprisoned. The poems are in Arabic and English. A 25th poem, ''He will come back, the one I'm waiting for'', was called the most important New Zealand poem of 2004 by Emma Neale, editor of '' Best New Zealand Poems 2004 ''. Best New Zealand Poems 2004: Introduction , Emma Neale, International Institute of Modern Letters , March 2005 PROSPECTS He has been granted refugee status, but several legal processes remain before he is either completely freed or deported. Zaoui has a wife and four children, who are currently in Southeast Asia and who will join him in New Zealand if the security risk certificate is lifted and he is allowed to remain in New Zealand. An application for them to come to New Zealand was lodged in late 2006, but on 8 February 2007 , Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said it would not be appropriate for them to come to New Zealand while Zaoui's security risk certificate review is being determined.1 At the November 2004 Supreme Court hearing, the Solicitor-General made it clear that if the security risk certificate should be confirmed and relied on by the Minister, Mr Zaoui would not be deported to a country where he would face persecution as that would contravene the Convention Against Torture. On , 30.09.2005 On 12 June 2007 the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security announced that hearings on Zaoui's appeal against the Security Risk Certificate would be held between 9 July and 10 August, with the aim of having a decision in the hands of the Minister by the end of the year. The hearings will be private, and will not be open to the public or the media.[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0706/S00154.htm Zaoui Review Dates Finalised], Scoop, 12.06.2007 EXTERNAL LINKS
REFERENCES
|
|
|