HIBAPRESS
The Algerian parliament unanimously approved a law today, Wednesday, that considers French colonialism of Algeria between 1830 and 1962 a "state crime" and demands that France offer an official apology for what it committed during that period.
The law was adopted during a session of the People's National Assembly, characterized by strong symbolism, where the deputies stood wearing the colors of the Algerian flag, before the ratification concluded with prolonged applause, expressing consensus on holding France legally responsible for its colonial past and the tragedies it caused. The law defines a number of practices as "colonial crimes that do not expire by prescription," including extrajudicial executions, torture, and rape, in addition to nuclear tests and the systematic looting of natural resources. It is worth mentioning that France conducted a total of 17 nuclear tests between 1960 and 1966 in various areas of the Algerian Sahara. This step comes in the context of increasing diplomatic tension between Algeria and Paris, due to unresolved historical and political files, at a time when no immediate official response has been issued from the French side regarding the law approved by the Algerian parliament.
