An rally has been called by the World Amazigh Congress to raise concerns about the escalating repression in Algeria. Mass Arrests, torture, and disappearances carried out against Amazigh activists.
Dozens of people are expected to protest at “la place de la bourse” on September 24 in support of all Amazigh political prisoners including Kamira Nait Sid, women and Amazigh rights defender, arrested on 25 August 2021 for eight charges including “undermining national unity and state security” and “belonging to a terrorist organization” on September 1. She could be facing ten years to life imprisonment and/or the death penalty.
At least 300 activists are currently in detention in Algeria since 1 March 2019 in connection with the peaceful movement, according to the National Committee for the Liberation of Detainees (CNLD), a local watchdog group.
Almost half of the detainees are members of the Movement for the self determination of Kabylie (MAK), a movement seeking the Self-Determination of Kabylia that the Algerian government considers a terrorist organization.
These prosecutions are the latest in the Algerian authorities’ ongoing repression of rights defenders and targeting of journalists and prominent figures in MAK. However, this is the first time that terrorism-related charges are being used. Other charges include also “offending public bodies” and “defamation”, under articles 146 and 298 of the Penal Cod
