The amnesty enjoyed by General Nezzar, former Minister of Defense and one of the strongmen of the Algerian military system for a quarter of a century, can be explained by the restructuring underway within a military institution in perpetual upheaval.
The return to the country, after an exile of more than 18 months, of the former Minister of Defense, the retired Major General Khaled Nezzar, sentenced to twenty years in prison for conspiring against the State, arouses innumerable questions. Judicial sources say he “appeared before the military court of Blida, which ruled on the annulment of the complaint” and before the judge of the court of Sidi M’hamed, who interviewed him, then released him. pending the end of the investigation, before withdrawing the international arrest warrant.
Such is in any case the information relayed by the generally well-informed Algerian newspaper “El Watan”. Except that the real reasons for Nezzar’s return to Algeria have nothing to do with these purely judicial considerations.
Justice under orders
The motives which led General Nezzar to be first sentenced and then now pardoned relate to recent power struggles within the military institution. Without any concern for proofs or procedures, Algerian justice is under the orders of the masters of the moment. The teams changing rapidly following the incessant purges since the departure of President Bouteflika, the challenges follow one another without any consistency. And General Nezzar rehabilitated after being dragged through the mud
When General Gaïd Salah, the former chief of staff, held the real power after the departure of President Bouteflika, some of his closest advisers are at their worst with General Nezzar. One of them, General Abdelkader Lachkham, then central director of communications, even sought to take control of the private companies created by the Nezzar clan which experienced the worst difficulties.
After the death of Gaïd Salah a year ago, his successor, General Chengriha, attempted to strengthen the army’s unity and create a balance of power within the institution in his favor. It is for this reason that this high-ranking officer dismissed the closest collaborators of his predecessor and reached out to former senior officials of the Algerian services who had served under the orders of the much feared General Toufik, now officially detained. (even if he is currently hospitalized at the military hospital in Blida, according to his lawyer).
The return to Algeria of General Nezzar with whom he had remained on good terms and who still has many networks is part of this perspective. The release of Toufik, which would follow the same strategy, could come quickly (1).
Dirty laundry
This amnesty is also the means of preventing the lawsuits brought in Switzerland against Nezzar by former Islamist militants who claim to have been tortured during the dark years (1992-1998) from turning into a settling of scores between the different clans of the army. Who would have washed their dirty laundry in public on the real or perceived violations of human rights during this bloody decade?
Better, according to the Algerian authorities, to have Nezzar with oneself than against.
