Algeria's Parliament Declares French Colonial Rule a Crime Against Humanity

Algeria's parliament unanimously passed legislation on Wednesday declaring France's 132-year colonial rule over the North African nation a crime against humanity, demanding an official apology and reparations for the damages inflicted during that period.

The bill, approved by lawmakers in the People's National Assembly in Algiers, holds France legally responsible for the tragedies of its colonization from 1830 to 1962. It asserts that full and fair compensation for all material and moral harms caused by the occupation represents an inalienable right of the Algerian state and people. As the vote concluded, parliament members stood in the chamber wearing scarves in the colors of the national flag and chanted "Long live Algeria" in applause.

The legislation catalogs specific atrocities attributed to French rule, including nuclear tests conducted in Algeria's Sahara desert between 1960 and 1966, extrajudicial killings, physical and psychological torture, and the systematic plundering of resources. Parliament Speaker Ibrahim Boughali described the measure as a pivotal affirmation of national identity. "The vote will send a clear message, both internally and externally, that Algeria's...