Letter Addressed by Kabyles for Human Rights (KHR) to Donald J. Trump
- KHR
- Mar 16
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 17
Kabyles for Human Rights
USA
March 3rd, 2025
The Honorable Donald J. Trump
The White House 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President Donald Trump,
First of all, our organization congratulates you on your election as President of the United States of America.
Kabyles for Human Rights is a US organization that stands for the rights of the 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.
Since North Africa does not generally get much attention in the US, we found it our duty to bring the issues directly to your attention. We are very concerned by the violation of human rights in Algeria[1], but in 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.
Honorable President, your administration is surely aware of how poor governance is in Algeria and the drift of this country in all areas. However, we would like to draw your attention to the crimes of the Algerian regime against Kabylia.
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 only one in the Kabyle language. However, most of its programs are related to Islam. 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 in 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 2022, 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[2].
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 2022. 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 on the system and or for supporting autonomy or self-determination. Under this law more than 350 Kabyle 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 who 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 become 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.[3]
Honorable President, 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 economic situation is nearly bankrupt. Still, 19% of the 2025 budget is dedicated to the military, the remaining being dispatched foremost to the State bureaucracy, police and high-level corrupted officials. The military, fully equipped by Russia, is undoubtedly the backbone of the whole system. To date, 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 only 1% 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.
The USA and Kabylia share the same principles: they both stand for freedom and peace. We are in tune with Vice-President Vance’s speech in February in Münich when he advocates that democracy and freedom of speech must prevail in every society.
We appeal to the new US administration to help out an end to the ostracism and unfair treatment of the Kabyle people as peaceful protests are not going anywhere.
Our most urgent request is the release of all prisoners of conscience. We believe that only the United States is in a position to change their destiny.
Finally, our organization would welcome a meeting with your staff to provide further details regarding the repression and ostracism that Kabylia has been enduring since 1962.
Sincerely,
Kabyles for Human Rights
[1] ) During the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review in November 2022, The USA have strongly
denounced Algeria’s human rights violations.
[2] ) On November 15 2021 the Secretary of State placed Algeria on the Special Watch List for having
engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom.
[3] ) Our point of view has been corroborated by the US State Department in the “Country Reports on
Terrorism 2022”.
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