FreeZaoui.org.nz - Free Ahmed Zaoui - or give him a fair trial

Ahmed Zaoui is Free!

Alex - Site Admin — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:16:33 -0500

The Director of New Zealand's Security Intelligence (NZSIS) Service Warren Tucker this afternoon told the media that Ahmed Zaoui - the one and only recipient of a security risk certificate - was no longer considered by the NZSIS to be a security risk.
According to the media statement released by Mr Tucker:

"Mr Zaoui was clearly a risk to the security of New Zealand when he arrived here in 2002."

However according to the same statement made by Mr Tucker:

"As a result of new evidence presented by Mr Zaoui at the recent hearing held by the Inspector General about Mr Zaoui's security risk status, I have comprehensively reviewed the risk he presents to New Zealand today. I am now satisfied that in 2007 he is no longer considered to be a security risk."

(From Scoop.co.nz)

New But Not Improved Immigration Act

Alex - Site Admin — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:09:46 -0500

With the unveiling of the new Immigration Bill yesterday, we finally got to see what the Clark government has learned from the Ahmed Zaoui affair : absolutely nothing.

This supposedly centre left government has taken the worst features of its shabby treatment of Zaoui – such as the allegations based on secret information that the appellant has no right to see or challenge, the use of special advocates as camouflage to hide the denial of fundamental human rights, and the invoking of secrecy to hide departmental bungles – and enshrined them as the routine powers to be enjoyed by immigration officials in future. Extreme measures that were invoked only because of the risk Zaoui was alleged to pose to national security will become the norm for how we engage with would-be migrants and refugees.

Read the full article by Gordon Campbell at Scoop.co.nz

The Case Against Zaoui

Alex - Site Admin — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:24:54 -0500

The case against Ahmed Zaoui is split between the evidence already in the public domain, and the secret and classified items still under lock and key down at SIS headquarters. In a month or so, the review will go into recess for further negotiations on how much of the secret material can be released for direct scrutiny by the Zaoui defence team. On the British experience, this is – or should be – a long and tortuous process. The review will then reconvene at some unknown future date, for the special advocates to debate the bulk of the secret evidence.

Read the full article at Scoop.co.nz

Amnesty Vigil

Alex - Site Admin — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 15:03:06 -0500

An Amnesty vigil highlighting our concerns with Ahmed Zaoui's Security Risk Certificate Hearing will occur

Monday, July 9, 8am-10am
Lorne St (opposite Khartoum Place) Auckland city.
(this is the back entrance of 280 Queen St, and where the Employment Court is and the venue for the hearing)

We will be easy to spot with three black-clad activists with hands bound behind them wearing "Secret evidence" Secret sources" and "Secret Hearing" signs. To denote the War on Terror context of this case we also plan to have a cage on site with an orange-jumpsuited prisoner.

Please do come along and support us. If you can come please alert margaret.taylor( at )amnesty.org.nz or by phoning (09) 303 4519 to allow for additional placards and banners to be available.

Date Set for Security Risk Certificate Hearing

Alex - Site Admin — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:32:50 -0500

INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY
THE HON D.P. NEAZOR CNZM

12 June 2007

Zaoui Review Dates Finalised

Dates have been finalised for evidence by Mr Zaoui and witnesses whom he wishes to call in the Security Certificate review hearing. The hearing will be in Auckland between 9 July and 10 August with a break in the middle. There may be some issues about documents to be determined and there may have to be another period for
the taking of evidence later. Whether and when that will happen is not yet known.

The law requires hearings by the Inspector-General to be in private.They will not be open to the public or news media.

The aim is to have the review report in the hands of the Minister of Immigration before the end of this year.

Amnesty International Report on NZ

Alex - Site Admin — Mon, 28 May 2007 16:31:28 -0500

The fate of Algerian refugee Ahmed Zaoui continued to hang in the balance pending review of a security assessment alleging he was a risk to New Zealand security. A senior member of Algeria's Islamic Salvation Front (Front islamique du salut, FIS) party, he claimed asylum on his arrival in New Zealand in December 2002, and was recognized as a refugee in August 2003. He was subsequently detained for 23 months - 10 in solitary confinement - under a security risk certificate issued by the Director of Security on the basis of intelligence information to which neither he nor his counsel have access. His appeal against the security risk certificate filed in March 2003 had still not been heard at the end of 2006.

Human Rights Watch Writes to NZ PM

Alex - Site Admin — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:20:05 -0500

"We write to express our concerns with the ongoing delays in reaching a final resolution to the status of Mr. Ahmed Zaoui, an Algerian national recognized by New Zealand’s Refugee Status Appeal Authority as a refugee.

"We write also to urge you to address other problems highlighted by Mr. Zaoui’s case, including concerns surrounding the reunification of Mr. Zaoui with his family, and the need for an immediate review of the legislation relating to security assessments of refugees in order to address the cause of the delays identified in Mr. Zaoui’s case. We also encourage you to reaffirm that Mr. Zaoui will not be sent to any country where he could be in danger of being subjected to torture or arbitrary deprivation of his life, or where he may be in danger of being further deported to such a country."

Police Tried to Trick Zaoui

Alex - Site Admin — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 01:00:35 -0600

Police have been left red-faced after revelations they tried to trick Algerian asylum seeker Ahmed Zaoui into saying he knew where al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was.

An undercover agent was put in a cell with Mr Zaoui at a police station soon after he arrived in the country and asked him if he knew and liked bin Laden.

Read full story at NZ Herald

Govt considering entry for Zaoui family

Alex - Site Admin — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:46:59 -0600

"The Government is considering a request to allow Algerian refugee Ahmed Zaoui's family to come to New Zealand because of long delays in the review of his case.

Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said in an answer to a parliamentary question released yesterday by the Green Party that the review was still six to eight months away.

It had originally been scheduled for August last year but was postponed due to what the Inspector-General of the SIS, Justice Paul Neazor, described as the complexities of the case.

A spokesman for duty minister Rick Barker confirmed a request had been received by Cunliffe to allow Zaoui's family to enter the country. "The Department of Labour is preparing advice for the Immigration Minister, who will then make a decision."

Green Party Says Delays Mean Family Should Be Re-United Here

Alex - Site Admin — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 02:09:41 -0600

Immigration Minister David Cunliffe's admission that the review of the national security case against Algerian MP Ahmed Zaoui will not start before June 2007 should compel Mr Cunliffe to allow the Zaoui family to be re-united here in the meantime, Green Party Human Rights Spokesperson Keith Locke says.

"Mr Cunliffe has admitted to the Greens via a Parliamentary written question that the review is currently expected to occur between June and August, almost a year after the last postponement," Mr Locke says.

"These delays take the review beyond the term of the current Inspector-General Paul Neazor, whose term expires in June. Mr Neazor turns 74 this year. The Zaoui case is already onto its second SIS Director and second SIS Inspector-General, with no guarantee Mr Neazor will want to commit for another full three year term.