Algeria sentenced to death activist Mohamed Benhalima, who was deported from Spain in March.

At first they wanted 10 years in a normal trial for the activist, but in the end he got it. a court-martial that sentenced him to death in absentia, that is, in a case where he was “not present and unable to defend himself”says his lawyer, Eduardo Gómez. Benhalima herself had already warned about what awaits her in her country, in an interview given to this newspaper from the Foreign Detention Center. “Prison and torture await me there. I fear that they will put me in a military prison and be subjected to violence and even murder,” he said. Raise-EMV, A newspaper belonging to the same group as this media.

Mohammed Benhalima A former soldier and activist who was forced to flee Algeria to Spain in September 2019. after exposing the corruption of his country’s government. Thanks to the Internet and social networks, he was able to continue to condemn the bad practices of the army from exile. “Let’s see if they say the same thing when they set foot in Algeria,” said the Algerian president, who sought asylum in Spain, threatening the exiled activists on television.

Despite being in danger, his asylum request was denied and subsequently being arrested by the police Zaragoza Zapadores transferred to CIE for violation of immigration law. Lawyers from the Centre, the Legal Network and the Spanish Refugee Assistance Commission (CEAR) began working to seek international protection again because of the danger that Benhalima would flee if he sets foot in the country again.

Eduardo Gómez explains that in less than a week his asylum claim was denied and “five minutes later they put him on a plane to deport him to Algeria.” The deportation procedure has been criticized by associations such as CIEs NO, as the usual way to deport foreigners from the Zapadores is by sea and with advance notice. In the Benhalima case, he was deported by air without confirmation from his lawyer.

The reason for the Ministry of Interior’s refusal to apply for international protection was that Behalima was a member of a wanted organization in her country (Hirak peaceful movement that filled the streets of Algeria). Organizations defending Benhalima later brought the case forward. Mohammed Abdullah, Another dissident, who had previously denounced the corruption of the Algerian Government, was denied asylum in Spain and eventually “physical and psychological torture in military prison”He condemned Amnesty International (AI).

As his lawyer recalled, the process of deporting Benhalima, deportation, not refund. “Extradition is criminally, a country deporting you for committing a crime and being wanted for that crime in your country of origin. But that wasn’t the case. Benhalima was deported for violating the immigration law (undocumented), which is an administrative violation, not a crime.”. The Legal Network and some support associations say they are examining possible complaints against him by the Immigration Brigade or the Home Office to clarify responsibility for this activist’s conviction.

Government Criticism

Benhalima’s deportation drew much criticism. parliamentary group agree He asked the manager in writing about the reasons for his dismissal and possible responsibilities in the face of what might happen to the activist. assistant Esquerra Republican Maria Dantas, who demanded that Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska appear in writing. AAmnesty International, CIEs NO, CEAR and the World Organization Against Torture They also criticized the ministry for deporting them.

democracy activist

Benhalima, just like Abdallah ‘Hirak’ peace movement Kim took to the streets of the country every Friday to call for democratic change. “We only want a civil and democratic state, not a military one”, rThis he exclaimed in an interview he gave to the media. “Many gendarmes who joined the movement like me were arrested for demonstrating against the government.” Benhalima said there are currently “at least 290 prisoners incarcerated in Algeria for political reasons”.

The current Algerian government claimed the activist, “Passed a law where any Hirak supporter was considered a terrorist in the eyes of the state“His family, who delivered the sentence, also had problems because of his activism. “The police and secret services are constantly visiting my mother’s house, searching and turning everything upside down. They come home to annoy my family, ask where I am, if they can talk to me and say that if I come back, nothing will happen to me. They were even arrested several times,” he said.