Ahmed Zaoui is a refugee who has been imprisoned in New Zealand for 2 years without charge or trial. He must be released!

Zaoui arrived in New Zealand to claim refugee status in December 2002 after fleeing a murderous military dictatorship in his native Algeria. However New Zealand’s SIS (Security Intelligence Service) issued a security risk certificate against him and he has been held in custody ever since in Mt Eden Remand Prison.

The Refugee Status Appeals Authority conducted an exhaustive investigation into his application for refugee status and the allegations made against him. The RSAA unreservedly declared him a genuine refugee and dismissed the allegations against him. It is clear these allegations are politically inspired fabrication.

The New Zealand government – lacking any credible evidence against Zaoui – sought to undermine the findings of the RSAA. They contacted several foreign governments and requested they “comment on” the RSAA report. However the report stands without a serious challenge. Zaoui remains a genuine refugee who deserves New Zealand’s help and support.

Ahmed Zaoui was a parliamentary candidate in Algeria in the early 1990’s where he stood for the FIS party – an Islamist party – and was elected to parliament. However the democratically elected government was overthrown in a military coup and the FIS and other organisations were declared illegal with many members being arrested or murdered.

Zaoui fled the country and has spent the time since striving for peace and security for himself and his family as they have been forced to move time and again as their family is threatened by the Algerian regime.

The New Zealand government has the power to lift the security risk certificate against Zaoui and open the way for him and his family to begin a new life in New Zealand. However Prime Minister Helen Clark has refused to do so for these past 2 years. It is time she did.

Join the public rally to protest against Zaoui’s imprisonment and to call for the government to immediately release him so he and his family can make a fresh start in New Zealand.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

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