Algiers – The Algerian Parliament is set to vote on a landmark bill criminalizing French colonialism, marking a significant shift from managing historical memory to enforcing the rule of law. The vote, scheduled for tomorrow at the People’s National Assembly, follows revisions to the initial draft of the legislation.
This move represents a pivotal moment in Algeria’s pursuit of historical justice, aiming to compel France to acknowledge its colonial-era crimes and provide reparations to the Algerian people. The bill seeks to establish a legal framework for addressing the grievances stemming from 132 years of French rule.
According to MP Saad Bghidja, a member of the Legal Affairs Committee, the proposed law aims to transform the national memory from a matter of ethics and politics into a binding legal obligation. This would legally obligate the French state to acknowledge its actions during the colonial period. Bghidja told DZWatch that the bill consists of five chapters and 27 articles, grounded in principles of international law, affirming the Algerian people’s right to redress, historical justice, and the prevention of impunity.
The legislation encompasses a wide range of offenses committed during the colonial era, including violations of individual freedoms, attacks on personal dignity, rape and sexual enslavement, desecration of places of worship, and the suppression of national identity. It also addresses the use of chemical and nuclear weapons, such as the “Blue Jerboa” experiments, manipulation of civil records, imposition of derogatory names on Algerians, and the desecration of the dead.
Bghidja emphasized that these crimes are not subject to statutes of limitations, regardless of whether they were committed by members of the military, police, official agencies, or armed militias, acting as principals, accomplices, instigators, or conspirators. Furthermore, any collaboration with the Harkis (Algerians who fought alongside the French) and those similarly aligned against the national liberation struggle is considered an act of high treason.
The law stipulates punishment for anyone who engages in speech, actions, gestures, or writings that glorify or defend colonialism. The bill’s passage would represent a major step in Algeria’s ongoing efforts to reconcile with its past and ensure accountability for historical injustices. DZWatch will continue to provide updates on this developing story.
