KHR Condemns the Cassation Appeal Against 49 Released Kabyle Detainees and Denounces the Re-Arrest of Murad Chabane

KHR – Kabyles for Human Rights strongly condemns the cassation appeal filed by the Algiers Public Prosecutor against 49 Kabyle prisoners of conscience who had previously been released. This appeal constitutes a serious escalation in the ongoing repression of peaceful activists, citizens, and defenders of fundamental freedoms in Algeria.

The consequences of this judicial offensive are already becoming evident. Among the 49 individuals targeted by the cassation appeal, Murad Chabane has been re-arrested, becoming one of the first victims of this attempt to reverse the release of Kabyle prisoners of conscience. His re-incarceration confirms the fears expressed by human rights defenders that the cassation procedure is being used not in the interest of justice, but as a tool to continue political persecution through legal means.

The 49 detainees were originally prosecuted and convicted because of their opinions, writings, peaceful activism, or their attachment to their Kabyle identity. Their trials failed to meet international standards of due process and fair trial guarantees as recognized under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Their imprisonment was arbitrary from the outset. Their release should have marked the end of an injustice. Instead, the decision of the Algiers Public Prosecutor to pursue a cassation appeal seeks to prolong uncertainty, fear, and repression.

KHR considers this appeal to be a form of judicial harassment aimed at overturning release decisions and reopening the door to further arbitrary detention. Seeking to revoke the liberty of individuals who have already been released, without any new facts or evidence, undermines the principle of legal certainty and transforms arbitrary detention into state-sponsored persecution.

The re-arrest of Murad Chabane demonstrates the very real human consequences of this policy. His case is a warning that the remaining 48 released detainees may also face renewed deprivation of liberty as a result of these proceedings.

KHR therefore demands:

● The immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the cassation appeal filed by the Algiers Public Prosecutor.

● The definitive confirmation of the release of all 49 detainees.

● The termination of all judicial proceedings based on political opinions, peaceful expression, activism, or Kabyle identity.

● The immediate release of Murad Chabane and all individuals deprived of their liberty as a consequence of this abusive procedure.

● The urgent intervention of United Nations Special Rapporteurs and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to ensure the protection of the 49 affected individuals and their families.

KHR holds the Algerian authorities fully responsible for the physical and psychological integrity of Murad Chabane, the remaining detainees, and their relatives. Any harm resulting from this judicial persecution will engage the responsibility of the Algerian State.

KHR further calls upon diplomatic missions, international human rights organizations, civil society actors, journalists, and independent media to closely monitor this case and mobilize against this abusive use of judicial mechanisms.

The re-arrest of Murad Chabane confirms that this matter is no longer merely a legal dispute. It is a pressing human rights issue that concerns the liberty, dignity, and security of dozens of individuals and their families.

Justice must never be transformed into a weapon of repression.

The cassation appeal must be withdrawn immediately. Murad Chabane must be released.

KHR – Kabyles for Human Rights

Human Rights Advocacy and Monitoring Organization