Brussels, 17/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - Amnesty International called on the Italian Presidency on Tuesday to take the human rights situation in Algeria into account as a matter of urgency in the context of the association agreement signed between the EU and Algeria on 22 April. The same day, the organisation published a 45-page report entitled "Algeria: steps towards change or empty promises?" which illustrates that recent reforms by the Algerian authorities have failed to address the "gravest human rights concerns" in Algeria. The report mainly underlines the fact that the investigations into human rights abuses are rarely carried out. Algerian authorities, moreover, continue to deny that state agents have been responsible for widespread patterns of human rights violations. Despite a number of positive developments, the situation in Algeria remains of serious concern, Amnesty International states, adding that "around 100 people continue to be killed each month by armed groups, the security forces and state-armed militias" and that torture in state custody continues to be widespread and is systematic in cases linked to what the authorities describe as "terrorist" activities. Amnesty International considers that the EU must call on the Algerian authorities for concrete commitments in order to: - ensure the independence of the powers necessary for the national body responsible for shedding light on cases of persons who have disappeared in Algeria, a body whose creation was announced on 6 August by President Bouteflika; - put an end to the impunity that reigns in the country by putting a stop to the practice of granting exemption from prosecution to armed group members who surrender to the authorities and by declaring the amnesty of 10 January 2000 null and void; - ensure that the conclusions of the Commission of Inquiry into the killing of dozens of unarmed demonstrators in Kabylia in 2001 are followed up by thorough, impartial and independent investigations to identify the individuals responsible for every one of the killings and ensure that they are brought to justice. Copies of the Amnesty International report may be requested by e-mail from manning@aieu.be.