The Honorable Antony Blinken
U.S. Department of State Office of the Secretary
2201 C Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20520 

Re: Human rights abuses in Kabylia by the Algerian military regime.

Dear Secretary Blinken,
As a Kabylian-American, I’m highly appalled and concerned about the distressed situation which the people of Kabylia are enduring from the Algerian military regime.
In fact, Algeria has already jailed at least 400 innocent Kabylians, condemned to
death 38 innocent Kabylians in an expedited proceedings and closed 34 Christian churches in Kabylia. Therefore, in this letter, I would like to draw your attention by highlighting three recent cases of the ongoing and endless repression.
The first is related to Mr. Lamine Meddourene, who’s a young filmmaker, arbitrarily condemned on 25 th February to 5 years in prison, because of his documentary movie,
called “Secular Algeria”. Also, the court retained against him the charges of “terrorism apology”, and “foreign financing” because he was planning to interview Mr. Ferhat Mehenni–The President of Kabylia Self-determination Movement – about
secularism.
The second is related to the detention, on February 27 th , of Mr. Moussa Haddadi, who previously met Mr. Clément Nyaletsossi Voule– The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association during his mission in Algeria from 15 to 26 September 2023.
The third is related to Mr. Jamal Ikni, an emblematic advocate of human rights in Kabylia, he was arbitrarily arrested and jailed in 2021, served 2 years sentence, then released. However, he was arrested for the second time, and on February 29 th , 2024, he was sentenced again for one year in prison.
Given the grim milestone of repression and injustice that Kabylia has been enduring by the Algerian military regime, I would like to exhort you, Mr. Secretary, first, to forward my deep concern to the Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Ahmed Attaf.
Second, appeal to him to stop arbitrary arrests and detentions of Kabylians political activists. Third, recall him to commit to upholding Algeria’s obligations under international law.

Sincerely,
Kabylia human rights activists