A life in Danger Lawyer Mohammed Nasser Hani Disappeared After His Arrest in Anaba - Algeria

Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession

Urgent Appeal 

Cairo, 4 May 1998

The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal
Profession received with great anxiety news on the arrest of the
Tunisian Lawyer Mohammed Nasser Hani in the city of Anaba in Algeria on
Wednesday, 15 April 1998.

Mr. Hani is being held in an unknown place, and the reasons for his
arrest are yet to be known. And as the circumstances surrounding  his
arrest have not been announced officially or juridicially, the ACIJLP
fears that Mr. Hani's life might be endangered in his unknown prison.
This constitutes a gross violation of all international covenants and
norms ratified by Algeria. It is also a threat to lawyers and jurists,
constraining them from performing their duties in a blatant violation of
basic UN principles on the role of lawyers. The ACIJLP thus urges the
Algeria authorities to immediately release Mr. Hani and reveal the
reasons behind his arrest.

It is to be noticed that Mr. Hani has been arrested in October 1991 and
exposed to severe torture for four months in Tunisia. Following his
release, he traveled to Algeria and received asylum form the Supreme
Commission of Refugees. He also received a permission to practice the
legal profession from the Algerian authorities. 
Therefore the ACIJLP urges all organizations concerned with human rights and
international juristic organizations to immediately interfere in this
case, and to urge Mr. Lamin Zorwal, President of the Algerian Republic
to immediately release Lawyer Mohammed Nasser Hani.

Address: His Excellency President Lamin Zorwal 
                President of the Algerian Republic 
                Moradiyya - Algeria
Fax: 2132609618

Contact: Nasser Amin
22a Hussien Hegazy St. off Kasr el-Ainy St.
Cairo, 11461 Egypt
Tel/Fax: (202) 3550871
acijlp@thewayout.net