The Algerian Colonial Regime Confirms the Sentence of Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie President, Chérif Mellal, to 4 Years in Prison

ALGIERS (SIWEL) — The Algerian judiciary, remaining faithful to its repressive policy in Kabylia, today upheld on appeal the sentence of four years in prison for Chérif Mellal, president of Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie (JSK). Still detained in the colonial prison of Koléa, Mellal faces charges in a case with an entirely empty judicial file, fabricated by the racist Algerian regime to silence the voice of Kabylia and hinder its quest for freedom.

In a statement published on the Facebook page of Chérif Mellal’s family, his relatives denounced a verdict described as “incomprehensible, unjust, and totally disconnected from the case file and the trial proceedings.”

“In light of this situation, many wonder about our silence regarding the details of the case. Some see it as an admission of guilt, but our choice has always been clear: to adhere to a rigorous approach, staying within the legal framework and allowing the defense to plead before the judges rather than in public opinion. Perhaps this was a mistake, given such an arbitrary and unacceptable conviction.”

Mellal’s lawyers will review the judge’s reasoning before filing an appeal to the Supreme Court.

The family concluded with a message of determination:

“We will not give up. We will see this through to the end.”

This conviction once again illustrates the relentless persecution by the Algerian dictatorial regime against engaged Kabyle figures, following a repressive pattern that continues to intensify.

Conclusion:

This latest conviction of Chérif Mellal reflects a systematic policy of repression carried out by the Algerian colonial regime against the Kabyle people. It takes place within a context of institutionalized racism, aiming to stifle any form of resistance and expression from Kabylia.

Arbitrary arrests and imprisonments are multiplying, and voices calling for freedom, dignity, and justice for the Kabyle people are being violently silenced. The case of Chérif Mellal is just one example among many of this unacceptable oppression.

We demand the immediate release of Chérif Mellal and all Kabyle political prisoners, victims of a judicial system serving a colonial and repressive regime. We call for an end to this repression that dishonors the country and for massive support for the struggle for the freedom and rights of the Kabyle people.