Five years in prison in Algeria for his father’s activism in Canada

Montreal resident Ammar Lakehal’s worst fears have come true. His son Massinissa has just been sentenced to five years of imprisonment in Algeria.

An Algerian court criticizes Massinissa for his ties to his father, who has campaigned for years for the creation of an independent state in Kabylia, a Berber region of Algeria.

The father denounced his son’s arrest last July. The sentence which has just been inflicted on Massinissa outrages him.

I am of a peaceful nature. Throughout my life, I have often taken things on the positive side. But here, I have an anger that cannot be measured.

I have a feeling that I can’t describe. It seems like shame on all these judges, in this country, who sentence innocent people like thathe added.

Several Canadians of Kabyle origin say they are victims of espionage and intimidation by the Algerian authorities, as revealed in a - report last June.

Ammar Lakehal, who is also a Canadian citizen of Kabyle origin, has long campaigned within the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK), notably as president of coordination in North America from 2018 to 2023.

The Algerian regime declared MAK terrorist entity in 2021 and anyone associated with this group risks imprisonment. Canada and the United States do not consider the MAK as a terrorist organization.

According to the father, Massinissa is a supporter of the independence of Kabylia and has already participated in demonstrations demanding the release of political detainees, but he is not a member of the MAK.

A trip to Canada held against him

Detained since his arrest on July 27, the son underwent his trial on July 1^is December, at the end of which he was found guilty of a series of crimes, such as undermining national integrity, inciting hatred and advocating terrorism.

A trip to Canada to visit his father, in 2019, and messages exchanged with him on social networks were held against Massinissa.

The Algerian court also accuses him of having published photos of political prisoners and of having asked Amnesty International to look into human rights violations perpetrated against the Kabyles.

He is in prison because he is Kabyle and because he is my son.

Sources in Algeria confirm that the father is the main target of the Algerian authorities in this case.

The Algerian embassy in Ottawa did not respond to our request for comment.

Threatening relatives of activists is a common tactic used by autocratic regimes to silence them, according to Phil Gurski, a former Canadian Security Intelligence Service analyst.

These foreign governments identify people who say and do things that are not in their interest or embarrass them on the world stage and try to stop it. They do this by threatening these people or their familieshe said.

Minister Joly refuses to comment

Ammar Lakehal says he also feels a deep indignation faced with the inaction of the Trudeau government.

The office of Federal Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly declined to comment on Massinissa’s conviction.

Following the latter’s arrest, Global Affairs Canada responded to - that long-standing bilateral relations with Algeria allow it to engage in discussions with the Algerian government on issues of importance to Canada, including human rights.

This is a different response from the one that Prime Minister Trudeau’s office gave to the father last August.

I understand that your son is not a Canadian citizen. You will therefore understand that Mr. Trudeau cannot interfere in a matter that concerns the administration of a foreign countrywe wrote to him.

When Mr. Lakehal immigrated to Canada, his son decided to stay in Algeria and does not hold Canadian citizenship.

There is this human side that is missing. Are they aware that we are talking about a man who is deprived of his rights? asks the father.

According to the latter, the Trudeau government should not bow your head in the face of non-respect for human rights in Algeria.

I demand the right to a fair trial for my son, as well as for all Kabyle detainees.