The British Government seek to remove individuals to Algeria on the basis of assurances regarding treatment contained within an exchange of letters, signed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and President Bouteflika on 11 July 2006 (copies are in the Library), supplemented by specific assurances where necessary. This approach has recently been endorsed by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).
The two individuals referred to voluntarily chose to withdraw their appeals against deportation and were returned to Algeria last month. The general assurances in the exchange of letters will apply to both individuals. Specific assurances were also sought in the case of the individual returned on 24 January. The individual who was returned on 20 January withdrew his appeal before the process of seeking assurances in his case. Officials from the British embassy in Algiers have remained in close contact with the Algerian authorities regarding the deported individuals. Both men were provided with full details of the British embassy’s contact details and it was explained that they or a nominated contact point could maintain contact with the British embassy after their return. Neither of the men wished to make such a request.
The British Government are confident we can deport terrorist suspects to Algeria without breaching the UK's domestic and international human rights obligations. We base this judgment on the changing circumstances in Algeria, on the rapidly developing relationship between the UK and Algeria and on the assurances given by the Algerian Government on individual deportees.