Cherif Mellal is the former coach of Kabylia’s flagship team. JSK. For the last two years, he has been one of the Kabylian hostages imprisoned in Algeria for the sole crime of being Kabylian. Algeria accuses him of threatening the unity of the state.
Press release from the family of Cherif Mellal
The long-awaited trial of Chérif Mellal took place today at the Sidi M’hamed court. After more than 21 months in pre-trial detention, our brother, our father, our son finally had the opportunity to make his voice heard and reveal the truth, the whole truth.
During the long hours of the hearing, Chérif Mellal defended his honour with unshakeable determination, unfailing courage and disarming sincerity. He held high the torch of his name, his career and his unshakeable attachment to his country.
The trial brought to light what we have been proclaiming all along: Chérif Mellal’s total innocence. The accusations against him collapsed like a house of cards in the face of the rigour of the defence. One by one, his lawyers dissected the elements of an empty case file, revealing the manipulations and lies that made it up.
We, the family of Chérif Mellal, wish to express our deep gratitude to this brilliant team of lawyers, led by Maître Ali Laouari, Maître Fetta Sadat, Maître Abdenour Ouacel, Maître Malik Kouribeche, Maître Aïcha Zemit, Maître Abdellah Heboul, Maître Soufiane Dekkal, Maître Yamina Alili, Maître Said Zahi, and Maître Younsi Kahina. Their pleadings highlighted Chérif Mellal’s resounding innocence and forcefully demanded that he be acquitted outright.
Our heartfelt thanks also go to Maître Radia Iguedad, Maître Nadia Benkhrouf, Maître Chibane Dalila, Maître Meriem Meftah, and all those tireless lawyers and defenders who, with a deep respect for their profession and a keen sense of justice, assisted Chérif Mellal and our family throughout this painful ordeal.
To all those, known and unknown, who have shown their support and solidarity with Chérif Mellal during these 21 months of detention, we simply say thank you. Your presence, your words, your commitment have carried us through these dark hours. You have been our strength.
Today, we are calling for justice to be done at last for Chérif Mellal. We are calling for him to be acquitted without delay. It is high time that the truth triumphed and that Chérif Mellal finally regained his freedom, because as Gandhi said:
‘When I despair, I remember that throughout history the path of truth and love has always triumphed. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a while they may seem invincible, but in the end they always fail. Think about it, always.’
Chérif Mellal is innocent. We will not stop until this truth is recognised and justice is done.
The Mellal family
09/10/2024
Once again, an innocent symbol of bravery and integrity has been struck by the official terrorism that has the right to sit in the UN.
CHERIF MELLAL ARBITRARILY SENTENCED, ANOTHER ACT OF TERRORISM AGAINST THE KABYLE PEOPLE
The verdict came down today at the Sidi M’hamed colonial court. Cherif Mellal, former president of JS Kabylie, was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment and a heavy fine of 225 million DA. The sentence follows his hearing on 9 October, at which the public prosecutor had requested a 10-year prison sentence.
This political sentence is part of a clear strategy by the Algerian regime to crush all forms of dissent. Cherif Mellal’s only ‘crime’ is to have refused to bend in the face of injustice and to have worked tirelessly on behalf of the emblematic club of Kabylia. This trial is nothing but a farce designed to intimidate those who, like him, dare to denounce the abuses of an authoritarian system.
The Kabyle people cannot remain silent in the face of this new wave of repression. The sentencing of Cherif Mellal is a direct attack on the fundamental rights and very identity of the Kabyle people. By targeting prominent figures such as Mellal, the Algerian regime is attempting to stifle the voice of a people who are demanding their right to a dignified existence.
Last July, Cherif Mellal went on hunger strike to protest against his arbitrary imprisonment, risking his life in the process. This sentence not only adds to the burden he is suffering, but also plunges his fate into an even more alarming situation, raising fears for his health and his future.
We denounce in the strongest possible terms this arbitrary decision, which once again illustrates the use of justice for political ends. This sentence shows the Algerian regime’s total disregard for the elementary principles of law and freedom. We call on all the living forces of Kabylia to mobilise against this flagrant injustice. The fight for the release of Cherif Mellal and all Kabyle detainees must be intensified.
It is imperative that the international community takes note of this ongoing violation of human rights against the Kabyle people. The Algerian colonial regime can no longer hide behind legal tricks to justify its brutal repression of Kabyle activists.
SIWEL 232135 OCT 24