KHR’S Organization Letter to the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
- KHR
- Aug 16
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 16
Kabyles for Human Rights
USA
August 11th, 2025
The Rt Hon Keir Starmer, The Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
United Kingdom
Re: The Kabyle people in distress
Dear Prime Minister,
Our organization is a human rights Non-Governmental Organization. It pledges the defense and the unveiling of human rights violations, in particular when the victims are Kabyle people.
Kabyles are indigenous people in Northern Algeria who have a great history since ancient times and practiced one of the most democratic political systems in the world. However, that ended with Kabylia’s annexation to Algeria in 1857 by the French Republic.
Our organization is very concerned by the violation of human rights in Algeriain particular when it impacts the Kabyle people. Over the years, the assaults by this authoritarian regime have escalated. The military, the police, the justice system, the regime of Algiers at the highest-level work in tandem to quash Kabylia and silence it forever.
Dear Sir, your administration is aware of the Algerian poor governance and the drift of this country in all areas. We do welcome the UK MPs repeated denunciation of the human rights violations in Kabylia, and your government efforts to bring these to the Algerian authorities. It is to be reminded that the last time such a commitment to plead the Kabyle cause was expressed within Westminster occurred in 1902! However, this letter is meant to draw your attention to the most recent crimes of the Algerian regime against Kabylia and the now publicly known Algerian plan to bribe and threaten the Kabyle opposition in Europe and in North America.
1. Since 1962 (year of Algeria’s independence) the new regime has introduced Arab-Islamic culture and practices as governance modus, thus denying Kabyle people the right to use their language and culture, let alone the way they wish to organize their society. The forced Arabization and Islamization in schools to acculturate the future generations of Kabyle being not enough, the government invents schemes to discredit the values of Kabyles vis-à-vis the Algerian Arab population and international opinion.
2. Control of the media, including the jailing of journalists. There are more than 25 TV channels in Arabic, most of which broadcast Koranic programs all around the clock, and none in Kabyle language, except for few hour programs a week. Here again, the intention is to assimilate the Kabyle people by introducing Arab-Islamism into their homes.
3. Arrest of anyone holding the Amazigh (Berber) or Kabyle flag. Authors of opinions posted in social media remotely critical of the government or reporting civil rights violations are sentenced to imprisonment. Boualem Sansal, an award-winning French Algerian writer was sent directly to prison as soon as he landed at Algiers airport in November 2024. His only crime was to express his opinion during interviews held in France. In addition, he repeatedly raised a flag about the expansion of radical Islam in Europe.
4. Since 2021, no demonstration is authorized in Kabylia, which generates a climate of tension and frustration.
5. Refusal to invest or blocking private investments in Kabylia under various pretexts and through bureaucratic controls, thus pushing the Kabyle people to immigration abroad. This leads to the depopulation of the educated Kabyle fringe, leaving an economic misery behind.
6. Churches closings while mosques are flourishing in every village of Kabylia thanks to Government subsidies. The ordinance 06-03 of 2006, prohibits anything that would “shake the faith of a Muslim” or be used as a ‘means of seduction intending to convert a Muslim to another religion’ (Opendoor). As of the end of 2024, all evangelist churches that are mainly based in Kabylia were shut down by the police, thus denying people the right to worship.
7. To enforce the repression and muzzle protesters, tailor-made law (Article 87bis of the penal code) was enacted by President Tebboune (by ordinance) in 2021. It defines as terrorism any act that was construed as threatening national unity or territorial integrity. The interpretation of the law was so broad that it led to the arrests of many activists for their opinions about the regime and or for supporting autonomy or self-determination. Under this law more than 350 Kabyles in jail of which 38 were sentenced to death without clear evidence of their alleged crimes or a fair trial. Moreover, prisoners are usually subject to verbal and physical abuse. This injustice causes immeasurable harm to those unjustly sentenced and beyond, causes great prejudice to the Kabyle population which is thus pointed at by the international community.
8. The same law (Article 87bis of the penal code) allows the government to declare the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK) as a terrorist organization. One wonders how could a peaceful movement that calls for self-determination becomes a terrorist organization. What terror have they carried out? In fact, the reason for criminalizing this movement is because it stands for the rights of Kabyle people. The recent extradition of a peaceful Kabyle activist has been turned down by the French judges that considered such a request unfounded, not substantially documented, and unprofessionally formulated.
This short list of flagrant violation of the rights of the Kabyles by the Algerian government gives you an idea about its true objective: at best the assimilation of the Kabyle people, at worst their eradication.
As you surely know, Algeria is a very controversial country. Although it has immense mineral, gas and oil resources, its economy is nearly bankrupt. Still, 19% of the 2025 budget is dedicated to the military, the remaining being foremost dispatched to the State bureaucracy, police and high-level corrupted officials. The military, fully equipped by Russia, is undoubtedly the backbone of the whole system, which is also a concern for the neighboring countries. Todate, a very significant number of military ground troops, plus other forces such as the police and gendarmerie are stationed in Kabylia whereas this territory counts for ca. 1.5% of the whole country. While Kabylia is very peaceful, this strong presence has only one purpose: to repress any signs of actions for freedom and affirmation of Kabylia’s culture.
Europe and Kabylia share the same principles: they both stand for freedom and peace. This is evidenced by the long historical and full integration of Kabyle immigration in Europe that counts for over ca. 2 million people, part of which is UK resident.
We therefore appeal to your administration to officially remind the Algerian Government the right of the Kabyle people to self-determination as anchored in the Charta of the United Nations.
Supporting the Kabyle fundamental and legitimate rights and publicly advocating for same is also a way of preserving UK from the Algerian destabilization attempts. But our most urgent request is to help the release of all prisoners of conscience. We believe that your government is in a positionto change their destiny.
Finally, our organization would welcome a meeting with your staff to provide further details regarding the repression and the ostracism that Kabylia has been enduring since 1962.
Most respectful,
Kabyles for Human Rights
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