First Prisoners Released Under Amnesty Law

150 prisoners from jails across Algeria were the first of over 2,500 Islamist rebels to be released under the long-awaited amnesty plan approved by the government in February. Rebels who remain at large now have six months to surrender and receive pardons. The amnesty also covers the army and government militias. While families of those killed during the conflict will receive financial compensation, human rights groups believe that the new law will deny them the right to seek justice. As such, they believe the project is likely to fail in its stated aim of promoting national reconciliation.

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