Monday, January 19, 2004



Ombudsman to look at treatment of Zaoui

Only those aspects handled by Corrections, Customs and Immigration - the Police and SIS are apparently outside the Ombudsman's jurisdiction - but it's a start. I expect the investigation will focus on why Zaoui was held in solitary confinement for so long, instead of being in a minimum-security prison or free on bail. But the real progress in his case is going to come because of the recent High Court rulings, particularly the ruling that the Inspector-General must consider Zaoui's human rights in his assessment. With Zaoui facing execution if he is deported to Algeria (or to any country where he is likely to be passed into Algerian hands), that shifts the odds heavily in his favour.

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