ALGIERS: Algeria’s former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia appeared before the Supreme Court on Wednesday as part of a raft of anti-graft investigations opened into senior figures since President Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down, state television reported.
Ouyahia, who left the government in March as part of a cabinet reshuffle, will be investigated over corruption cases including “awarding illegal privileges,” it said, without giving details.
His former transport minister, Abdelghani Zaalane, later also appeared before the court in connection with a corruption investigation. State TV gave no more details on either case.
Their lawyers could not be reached by phone for comment.
State television gave no details of what would happen next in the judicial processes involving Zaalane and Ouyahia, who is the leader of Algeria’s second largest party, the Democratic National Rally (RND).
The two politicians are the latest figures to be investigated on corruption allegations since mass protests erupted more than three months ago demanding the departure of the ruling elite and the prosecution of people they see as corrupt.
Bouteflika stepped down on April 2 under pressure from the army and protests that broke out on Feb. 22. Zaalane had been named campaign manager for Bouteflika for an April 18 presidential election, which was canceled.
The army is now the most powerful institution and its chief Ahmed Gaed Salah has urged the judiciary to investigate all people suspected of being involved in corruption.
Several senior figures including another former prime minister, Abdelmalek Sellal, and eight former ministers appeared last month in a court in Algiers on suspicion of corruption.
Bouteflika’s youngest brother, Said, and two former intelligence chiefs have been placed in custody by a military judge for “harming the army’s authority and plotting against state authority.”
Several prominent businessmen, some of them close to Bouteflika, have been detained pending trial.
Protesters are now seeking the departure of interim President Abdelkader Bensalah and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, both seen as part of the elite that has ruled the North African country since independence from France in 1962.
Ouyahia’s RND supports the interim government, but is not part of it.
Authorities have postponed a presidential election previously planned for July 4, citing a lack of candidates. No new date has been set for the vote.
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Algeria’s former PM appears in Supreme Court over alleged corruption: state TV
Algeria’s former PM appears in Supreme Court over alleged corruption: state TV
- It is the second time in less than two months that the former prime minister appears in court in connection with corruption investigations
- Since the resignation of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, several wealthy businessmen have been held in custody for benefiting from government contracts
Israel warns will suspend several aid groups from Gaza
- Ministry says organizations that failed to submit list of Palestinian employees have been told their licenses will be revoked from January 1
JERUSALEM: Israel warned on Tuesday that it would suspend from January several aid organizations operating in Gaza for failing to provide details about their Palestinian staff, accusing two Doctors Without Borders employees of links to militant groups.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said in a statement the move was part of Israel’s decision to “strengthen and update” regulations governing the activities of international NGOs in the Palestinian territory.
“Humanitarian organizations that fail to meet security and transparency requirements will have their licenses suspended,” the ministry said.
It added that organizations which “failed to cooperate and refused to submit a list of their Palestinian employees in order to rule out any links to terrorism” had received formal notice that their licenses would be revoked as of January 1.
The organizations concerned — whose names were not disclosed — were ordered to cease all activities by March 1.
The ministry said the groups were given 10 months to provide the requested information but “nonetheless failed to comply with the requirements.”
The ministry told AFP earlier this month that as of November 25, approximately 100 registration requests had been submitted and “only 14 organization requests have been rejected.”
“The remainder have been approved or are currently under review,” it added.
In its statement on Tuesday, the ministry alleged after an investigation that the international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) had employed two individuals with links to Palestinian militant groups.
“In June 2024, a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad was identified as an employee of the organization,” it said.
“In September 2024, another MSF employee was identified as a Hamas sniper.
“Despite repeated requests, the organization did not provide full disclosure regarding the identities and roles of these individuals,” the statement added.
When contacted, MSF said it “would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity.”
“Any employee who engages in military activity would pose a danger to our staff and our patients.”
The ministry’s statement did not say whether MSF’s license had been revoked.
“In terms of registration, MSF continues to engage and discuss with Israeli authorities,” the charity said. “We have not yet received a decision on re-registration.”
The ministry said its latest measures would not affect the delivery of aid to Gaza.
“Only a limited number of organizations — less than 15 percent — were found to be in violation of the regulatory framework,” it said.
Several NGOs have told AFP the new rules will have a major impact on aid distribution in Gaza.
The amount of aid entering Gaza remains inadequate.
While the October 10 ceasefire agreement stipulated the entry of 600 trucks per day, only 100 to 300 are carrying humanitarian aid, according to NGOs and the United Nations.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said in a statement the move was part of Israel’s decision to “strengthen and update” regulations governing the activities of international NGOs in the Palestinian territory.
“Humanitarian organizations that fail to meet security and transparency requirements will have their licenses suspended,” the ministry said.
It added that organizations which “failed to cooperate and refused to submit a list of their Palestinian employees in order to rule out any links to terrorism” had received formal notice that their licenses would be revoked as of January 1.
The organizations concerned — whose names were not disclosed — were ordered to cease all activities by March 1.
The ministry said the groups were given 10 months to provide the requested information but “nonetheless failed to comply with the requirements.”
The ministry told AFP earlier this month that as of November 25, approximately 100 registration requests had been submitted and “only 14 organization requests have been rejected.”
“The remainder have been approved or are currently under review,” it added.
In its statement on Tuesday, the ministry alleged after an investigation that the international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) had employed two individuals with links to Palestinian militant groups.
“In June 2024, a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad was identified as an employee of the organization,” it said.
“In September 2024, another MSF employee was identified as a Hamas sniper.
“Despite repeated requests, the organization did not provide full disclosure regarding the identities and roles of these individuals,” the statement added.
When contacted, MSF said it “would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity.”
“Any employee who engages in military activity would pose a danger to our staff and our patients.”
The ministry’s statement did not say whether MSF’s license had been revoked.
“In terms of registration, MSF continues to engage and discuss with Israeli authorities,” the charity said. “We have not yet received a decision on re-registration.”
The ministry said its latest measures would not affect the delivery of aid to Gaza.
“Only a limited number of organizations — less than 15 percent — were found to be in violation of the regulatory framework,” it said.
Several NGOs have told AFP the new rules will have a major impact on aid distribution in Gaza.
The amount of aid entering Gaza remains inadequate.
While the October 10 ceasefire agreement stipulated the entry of 600 trucks per day, only 100 to 300 are carrying humanitarian aid, according to NGOs and the United Nations.
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