A group of Algerians from Canada gathered Monday night in Montreal to celebrate the 68th anniversary of the outbreak of Algeria’s war of independence and to demand the release of prisoners of conscience in their country of origin.
In the small park opposite the Algerian consulate in the Canadian metropolis, portraits of prisoners of conscience were hung on a metal grid, lighted candles dotted the premises and a managing screen let images of prisoners and photos of hero of the Algerian revolution.
In Algeria, 68 years after the outbreak of the war of independence, rights are still repressed. You can go to jail for a Facebook post. There are people who died in prison for this reason like Hakim Debbazi [last April] , explains Jihed Halimi, one of the participants in the rally.
This affair had reacted to political parties and human rights organizations in Algeria who had called for an investigation.
Questioned in parliament, the Algerian Minister of Justice had affirmed that the death of this detainee was natural, according to the autopsy report.
Any criticism of the functioning of the state is considered defamatory by the [Algerian] regime.
He adds that justice is used to repress through draconian laws such as article 87-bis [of the Penal Code] which considers if you try to change from Algeria outside of what is provided for in the constitution, you will be considered a terrorist.
According to this computer scientist living in Canada, this prevents Algerians from changing things. To have an alternative, we must meet, exchange ideas and develop programs. But getting together can be considered an illegal gathering that leads to jail.
The number of prisoners of conscience close to the popular protest movement of February 2019, the Hirak, would be around 240 people, according to Jihed Halimi.
Photos of Algerian prisoners of conscience are hung on a metal fence during the rally organized in front of the Algerian consulate in Montreal.
Last June, Amnesty International called on the Algerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release at least 266 activists and demonstrators who took part in the Hirak protest movement, criticized the authorities, denounced state corruption or expressed their solidarity with people in prison.
The unjustified imprisonment of activists and protesters must end. It is shameful that the Algerian authorities continue to use overly repressive and vaguely worded laws to prosecute people solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
Just after in July, on the occasion of Independence Day, some prisoners of conscience had benefited from a pardon decreed by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Jihed Halimi believes that the Algerian authorities are always renewing their stock of prisoners of conscience. They release some and arrest others.
Fear of returning to Algeria
Last night’s rally was far from those of the great days when thousands of Algerians from the diaspora roamed the streets of Montreal in support of the Hirak.
For a participant who preferred not to give her name, the mobilization is still there, but there are people who want to go and visit their families in Algeria but are afraid to experience what happened to those who were arrested like Lazhar. Zouaimia. Others do not want to talk about the problems they had during their visits to Algeria for fear of reprisals against their families.
The latter was prevented from leaving Algeria after a family stay last February.
Accused of terrorism, he spent several weeks in prison. He had been granted provisional release and then left Algeria last May after an unsuccessful attempt.
Lazhar Zouaimia had rejected these charges of terrorism which he finds insulting for a human rights activist and believes that it is because he had participated in Montreal in demonstrations in support of Hirak that he is being prosecuted.
Last September, he was sentenced, in absentia, to five years in prison and a fine of 100,000 DA (934 Canadian dollars) by the court of Constantine, in Algeria.
On his Facebook page, he claimed to reject all the unfounded accusations against me. I solemnly reaffirm, as I have never ceased to do since February 19, 2022 (the day of my arrest and detention), that I am innocent and have committed no crime or misdemeanour.
Taous Haddadi-Djellouli (in the middle), the special envoy in charge of the Algerian community abroad with one of his collaborators (on the right) and Noureddine Meriem, the consul general of Algeria in Montreal (on the left) during a meeting with members of the Algerian diaspora in Montreal.
Photo : Radio Canada International / Samir Bendjafer
About ten days ago in Montreal, the issue of Algerians from Canada who are arrested on returning to Algeria was discussed during a meeting of members of the Algerian diaspora with the special envoy in charge of the national community in abroad, Taos Haddadi-Djallouli.
Responding to a question from Radio Canada International on Algerians in Canada who are afraid to visit their families in Algeria, she felt that this fear has no place, giving the example of a person who is was filmed by herself and posted the video on social media claiming that he had been blocked from going out. I inquired with officials. We never stopped her from leaving.
Regarding offenses of opinion, she claimed that people were arrested for offenses of defamation, not offenses of opinion.
The population demonstrated for days and days without incident. When you see people being blindsided during the demonstrations in Paris, you have to recognize the control of the situation by the security forces [in Algeria] and the control of the situation by the population which has been admirable to the point where the president [ Algerian] say the blessed Hirak.
The Algerian president had also affirmed at the beginning of last August that there are no prisoners of conscience in Algeria and the alleged existence of such prisoners is the lie of the century.
