Hunger Strike by JS Kabylie President Cherif Mellal in Algerian Prisons

ALDAR/

Cherif Mellal, the president of JS Kabylie, has launched an open-ended hunger strike inside Algeria’s Kolea prison in protest against what he described as an unjust verdict against him. His four-year prison sentence was upheld on appeal on February 25, 2025.

Mellal is known for his firm stance in defending Kabyle identity. He has been one of the most prominent sports figures to speak out against repressive practices, using his position as the head of the region’s biggest football club as a platform to address issues concerning the Kabyle people. However, this role made him a target for the Algerian authorities, who seek to suppress any opposition, especially in the Kabylie region.

Mellal’s hunger strike is not an isolated incident; it is part of a broader wave of protests by several political detainees from the Kabylie region, who believe they are facing systematic repression and blatant violations of their fundamental rights. Faced with ongoing abuses and the absence of fair trials, these detainees find themselves forced to use their bodies as a means to make their voices heard worldwide.

For its part, the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK) condemned what it described as systematic repression by the Algerian authorities, holding the regime fully responsible for the safety of political prisoners. The movement also called on the Kabyle people and the international community to exert pressure for the immediate and unconditional release of all political detainees.