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Ahmed Zaoui Freed On Bail At Last

Thursday, 9 December 2004, 9:36 pm
Article: Selwyn Manning - Scoop Auckland

Ahmed Zaoui Freed On Bail At Last

By Selwyn Manning

Welcome To New Zealand Mr Zaoui - Ahmed Zaoui is free of a New Zealand prison for the first time in two years since his arrival on December 4 2002.

Mr Zaoui left Auckland Central Remand Prison (ACRP) after being granted bail by the Supreme Court in Wellington.

Mr Zaoui left the prison by car, driven by senior counsel Dr Rodney Harrison QC, and accompanied by lawyers Deborah Manning and Richard McLeod.

He will be staying at the Dominican Friary in Newton Auckland.

Around 200 people gathered outside the prison walls to welcome Mr Zaoui to freedom.

Mr Zaoui's lawyers will make a statement to media at 10am tomorrow (Friday December 10).

Yaaay! Lawyer Deborah Manning is greeted by a cheering crowd that gathered outside ACRP to welcome Ahmed Zaoui to New Zealand.

Media are asked to respect Mr Zaoui's privacy while he adjusts to being free.

Auckland Central Remand Prison receives the Supreme Court ruling that Mr Zaoui be freed.

Ahmed Zaoui is free at last, on bail.

The Supreme Court of New Zealand has authorised the bail release of Algerian MP Ahmed Zaoui from prison detention and into the care of the Dominican Friars in Auckland. Supreme Court chief justice Sian Elias delivered the Court ruling at 4pm this afternoon.

The Supreme Court applied the following bail conditions that:

Mr Zaoui report to Auckland Police 10am to 4pm Tuesday and Friday

Mr Zaoui preside at the Dominican Friary in Auckland between 10pm and 6am daily

Mr Zaoui give an undertaking to observe bail conditions

Mr Peter Murnane give an undertaking that he will report any breach of bail conditions.

For full coverage see... Scoop's special feature on the Ahmed Zaoui case…

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