Kamira Nait-Sid, co-president of the Amazigh World Congress (CMA), was released today from Koléa prison in Algeria, after more than three long years of arbitrary detention.
All members of the Amazigh World Congress are very happy about the end of the ordeal unjustly inflicted on Kamira and her family, especially her mother. The members of the CMA salute the bravery, courage and spirit of resistance of Kamira who emerged unscathed from this heavy ordeal. We express to her once again all our support and our fraternity.
The CMA salutes and warmly thanks all the individuals and organizations that mobilized for his release, including Frontline Defenders, IWGIA, Amnesty International, Euro-Mediterranean Foundation of Support to Human Rights Defenders, Régions et Peuples Solidaires (RPS), Riposte Internationale, African Indigenous Peoples Network, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Union des Femmes Kabyles, Association AFK-13, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of assembly and peaceful demonstration, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, members of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and many other personalities and associations.
Kamira was abducted on August 24, 2021 near her home in Kabylia by the Algerian police, then held captive for 7 days before being brought before a judge who ordered her detention on September 1, 2021. Prosecuted in particular for terrorism, she faced two trials, in 2022 and 2023, and sentenced to 5 years and 2 years in prison. In July 2023, the Algiers Court of Appeal reduced her sentence to 3 years in prison.
On April 1, 2022, the UN declared that Kamira Nait Sid's detention was arbitrary and called for her release. On November 30, 2023, Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, visited Kamira Nait Sid in prison and called for her immediate release. On March 28, 2024, the Algerian Supreme Court overturned and annulled the judgment of the Algiers Court of Appeal and referred the case indefinitely to another court. The recommendations and decisions of all these bodies have remained without effect.
Kamira Nait Sid should never have been arrested and imprisoned because her activities as a defender of the rights of the Amazigh people were peaceful and perfectly legal, including according to Algerian law. In any case, she should have been released on April 1, 2022, following the UN request to the Algerian government. She should also have regained her freedom on March 28 following the annulment of her conviction on appeal by the Algerian Supreme Court.
Thus, Algeria is openly violating its own legislation and international law. International bodies must act with the utmost firmness to hold the Algerian government accountable and respect its international human rights obligations.
In the immediate future, the CMA demands from the Algerian government:
- compensation for Kamira Nait Sid and her family for all the damages suffered,
- the initiation of criminal proceedings and the punishment of the perpetrators and those responsible for the kidnapping, sequestration and imprisonment of Kamira Nait Sid,
- the release of all political and opinion prisoners,
- the immediate end of the repressive policy.
Tizi-Wezzu, 17/08/2974 – 1/09/2024
The Board of CMA.