{{NPOV}} '''Ahmed Zaoui''' is an [[Algeria]]n member of the [[Islamic Salvation Front]] who was [[convicted]] on [[terrorism]]-related charges in [[Belgium]] and [[France]]. He arrived in [[New Zealand]] on [[4 December]] [[2002]] where he sought [[refugee]] status. ==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 [[Algerian National Assembly elections, 1991|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 [[in absentia]] by the Algerian government and was convicted of "establishing a terrorist organisation to destabilise state institutions and terrorise the population" and for "plotting against the state, criminal conspiracy, inciting armed rebellion and assassinations and destruction of property" in May 1996, and February 1997, respectively. Both convictions carry sentences of [[life imprisonment]].[http://www.nzrefugeeappeals.govt.nz/PDFs/Ref_20030801_74540.pdf Refugee Appeal No 74540], [[Refugee Status Appeals Authority]], page 79-81 Disputing the reports from [[Interpol]] as incomplete, Zaoui claimed and the RSAA found that there were six life sentences against him, as well as two [[death sentence]]s. [http://www.nzrefugeeappeals.govt.nz/PDFs/Ref_20030801_74540.pdf Refugee Appeal No 74540], [[Refugee Status Appeals Authority]], page 2 Human rights groups have criticised the Algerian trials for contravening basic norms of justice. [http://www.amnesty.org.nz/web/pages/home.nsf/dd5cab6801f1723585256474005327c8/13a9a8bc547ea16bcc256da30010d74f!OpenDocument Ahmed Zaoui: Freedom or Fair Trial], [[Amnesty International]] New Zealand In March [[1994]], [[Belgium]] charged him with being "the instigator or the head of a criminal organisation" and two charges of using false passports. He was acquitted at his first trial but was convicted on appeal and received a four-year suspended sentence [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=3562375 Tracing Ahmed Zaoui's trial in Belgium], Catherine Field, [[New Zealand Herald]], 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 [[Switzerland]]. The Swiss authorities refused his request for asylum due to his ongoing political activities, and made a deal with [[Burkina Faso]] to deport Zaoui and his family there, while still providing Zaoui with a 1500 Swiss franc monthly allowance [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3198458 No refuge for a refugee], Catherine Masters, [[New Zealand Herald]], 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". Mr Zaoui decided to leave Malaysia shortly after it was visited by the head of the Algerian police services, on what was claimed as an investigation of Malaysian policing methods. In [[December 2002]] he arrived in New Zealand travelling through [[Vietnam]] on a false South African passport and requested refugee status. ==Imprisonment in New Zealand== Mr Zaoui arrived in New Zealand in December of 2002, and 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 [[Security Risk Certificate]] in March of 2003. Mr Zaoui then requested a review of the certificate. While not made public at the time, in February 2004 the High Court ordered the SIS to release summary of its allegations to Zaoui's lawyers, who then released it to the media. The summary excluded classified information which the SIS was not required to disclose. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=3550613 Why Zaoui is being kept in prison - a summary], [[New Zealand Herald]], 23.02.2004 Zaoui's lawyers issued a point-by-point response to the summary. [http://media.apn.co.nz/webcontent/document/pdf/ACFUAAAAayEh.pdf 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" [http://www.corrections.govt.nz/public/news/mediareleases/2003/20031016-zaoui.html 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." [http://www.nzrefugeeappeals.govt.nz/PDFs/Ref_20030801_74540.pdf Refugee Appeal No 74540], [[Refugee Status Appeals Authority]], page 208 In September 2004, Prime Minister [[Helen Clark]]'s office stated that Zaoui had links to [[al Qaeda]], but Clark later withdrew the claim, saying that her "office had probably gone too far in making the link" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=3593148 PM can't back up al Qaeda claim], Ruth Berry and Catherine Masters, [[New Zealand Herald]], 21.09.2004. On [[20 October]] 2004, many of his supporters participated in a launch of a biographical book in the [[Beehive (building)|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 Order|Dominican]] [[Monastery|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''. [http://www.vuw.ac.nz/modernletters/bnzp/2004/introduction.htm Best New Zealand Poems 2004: Introduction], Emma Neale, [http://www.vuw.ac.nz/modernletters/index.aspx 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. 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 [[29 September]] [[2005]] a referendum was held in Algeria which resulted in the [[Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation]], and gave amnesty to those jailed and convicted during the civil war.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4296474.stm Algerian voters back peace plan], [[BBC]], 30.09.2005 ==External links== * [http://www.freezaoui.org.nz/ "Free Ahmed Zaoui" website] * [http://craigpotton.co.nz/products/published/books/bookartscrafts/grantbirds24contemplations Migrant Birds] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/headlines.cfm?c_id=549 nzherald.co.nz archive of articles on Ahmed Zaoui] ==References== * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3559877 Terrorism and betrayal: the untold Zaoui story] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3601061 Zaoui party: high ideals and terror] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=9003448 Benefit for Zaoui may cost $10,000, says MP] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=10332554 Zaoui a reluctant celebrity] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=3562375 Tracing Ahmed Zaoui's trial in Belgium] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=3562471 Belgians convinced Zaoui involved with terrorists] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=3562202 European lawyers deny Zaoui 'flaws'] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=3561493 Judges loath to take up SIS position] * [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=549&ObjectID=3560204 Naive Zaoui supporters ignoring evidence, says National] * [http://www.corrections.govt.nz/public/news/mediareleases/2003/20031016-zaoui.html Ahmed Zaoui transferred to ACRP following management plan review] * [http://onenews.nzoom.com/onenews_detail/0,1227,236505-1-8,00.html Fearful wait for Zaoui's family - Joffe Quote] [[Category:Algerian politicians|Zaoui, Ahmed]] [[Category:Human rights abuses]] [[Category:Politics of New Zealand]]