Algiers, Algeria – The Algerian parliament today unanimously approved a law criminalizing French colonization of Algeria during the period from 1830 to 1962.
He explicitly describes it as a “state crime,” demanding that France offer
a “formal apology” for its colonial past and the grave violations it committed against the Algerian people.
The voting session witnessed a remarkable scene inside the National People’s Assembly chamber,
where the deputies stood adorned with the colors of the Algerian flag.
This was met with prolonged applause following the adoption of the legal text,
in a symbolic expression of national consensus.
colonial era and its repercussions
This is based on holding the French state legally and historically responsible for the colonial era and its repercussions.
The law stipulates that France bears “full legal responsibility” for the tragedies caused by colonialism in Algeria.
He stressed that crimes committed during that period do not lapse with time.
The text listed a number of “crimes of French colonialism that are not subject to
any statute of limitations,” including extrajudicial killings.
This also includes systematic torture, rape, nuclear testing,
and the organized plundering of the country’s natural and economic resources.
The passage of this law comes in the context of renewed tension in Algerian-French relations,
against the backdrop of colonial memory issues.
Algeria believes that addressing this issue is a prerequisite for any full
and sustainable normalization of relations between the two countries.
recognition, apology, and reparation
The law is also a direct response to what Algeria considers to be French pressure and reserved stances.
This is in light of the full recognition of historical responsibility for colonialism.
Members of parliament and parliamentary sources confirmed
that the law does not aim to sever ties with France.
Rather, it aims to establish historical truth and protect national memory.
This opens the way for a reconciliation based on recognition, apology, and reparation.
Observers believe that this step represents an important legislative and political shift,
reflecting Algeria’s insistence on raising the issue of colonialism again.
This is part of a clear legal approach, following decades of political and diplomatic controversy surrounding it.
