Rabat — Kabyle opposition figure Aksel Bellabbaci walked free on Wednesday after a Paris appeals court shunned Algeria’s request to extradite him on terrorism charges.
“The extradition request is without object,” declared the extradition chamber president, prompting brief applause from supporters in the courtroom.
The 42-year-old vice president of the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabyle (MAK) has lived in France since 2012.
Algeria accused Bellabbaci of orchestrating deadly wildfires that killed 90 people in Kabylia in August 2021 and instigating the mob killing of painter Djamel Bensmaïl, mistakenly identified as an arsonist while helping fight the blazes.
“This brings great relief,” said defense attorney Gilles-William Goldnadel, adding that “it’s a beautiful day for French justice.”
Anticipating Algiers’ reaction to the French court’s decision, Goldnadel slammed the North African country for lacking justice, saying, “There is no justice in Algeria while the dictatorship oppresses its citizens, especially the Kabyle people.”
Bellabbaci faces 14 charges in Algeria, some carrying the death penalty — a punishment still on the books despite a moratorium since 1993. He hasn’t returned to his homeland since August 2019.
Outside the courtroom, Bellabbaci said, “The fight continues because we won’t stop here. The Kabyle people are innocent of the accusations made by the Algerian regime.”
Kabyle struggle for self-determination under Algeria’s mistreatment
Kabyle people started fighting for their autonomy against post-colonial Algeria, following the country’s independence from French rule in July 1962.
The journey of Kabyle struggle saw several events, including the war of Kabylia against post-colonial Algeria (1963-1965), the events of At Yiraten in June 1974, and the revolt of 1980 known as the “Amazigh Spring.”
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Algeria’s Amazigh people, estimated at approximately 5.5 million, claim recognition of their language and culture as well as political independence.
The Kabyle people voice their demands through the Amazigh movement MAK-ANAVAD, which currently comprises two branches, namely MAK and the Provisional Kabylian Government (GPK).
MAK, formed in June 2003, carries out field work, while Kabyle’s diplomatic actions are channeled through the GPK, formed in Paris in June 2010.
In 2024, the US State Department’s annual report indicated, for the second time, that Algeria’s designation of the MAK as a terrorist group was baseless, politically motivated, and reflects political dynamics within the country.
