Prisoner of conscience Abla Kemari had been waiting for 25 September 2026 to regain her freedom after two years in prison and return to her family and the life that had been put on hold behind bars. Yet the long-awaited date passed without the prison gates opening for her. Her suffering continues amid deteriorating health and the need for a second surgical procedure.
After completing her previous two-year prison sentence on 25 September 2026, Abla Kemari appeared before the Touggourt Court on 28 September 2026 in a separate case. Her trial was conducted remotely via videoconference while she remained detained at the Biskra correctional facility. The court postponed the delivery of its verdict until 5 October 2026, when she was sentenced to one year of imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 Algerian dinars, leaving her facing another year behind bars instead of returning to her family.
Two years of deprivation of liberty, separation from her family, and waiting for the day she could resume a normal life did not mark the end of Abla Kemari’s ordeal. Rather than closing the chapter on her imprisonment after completing her sentence, she is now serving a new one-year prison term, further compounding her psychological and physical suffering as more years of her life pass behind bars.
Her ordeal has become even more distressing following information about her health that emerged after a family visit to the Biskra correctional facility. Her health was reported to be deteriorating, and she was said to require a second surgical procedure. Between illness, continued imprisonment, and separation from her family, Abla Kemari is enduring difficult humanitarian circumstances at a time when she had expected to regain her freedom after serving her previous sentence.
The first case dates back to 25 September 2024, when the investigating judge at the Ouargla Court ordered Abla Kemari’s placement in pretrial detention, after she had initially been placed under judicial supervision.
The Ouargla Court had initially sentenced her to three years in prison and a fine of 50,000 Algerian dinars, before the Ouargla Court of Appeal reduced the prison sentence to two years.
The charges against her included insulting the President of the Republic and creating an online account to promote ideas that could lead to discrimination and hatred. She was also charged with glorifying terrorist acts, a charge that was subsequently dropped. Her defense maintained her innocence, arguing that the prosecution was linked to her social media posts and publicly expressed views.
Abla Kemari became known for her activism during Algeria’s Hirak protest movement, particularly through her Facebook posts and political positions. She also expressed solidarity with prisoners of conscience and participated in volunteer and community activities.
Her case highlights a painful aspect of the suffering endured by women imprisoned in connection with their political activism or the expression of their views. Imprisonment entails more than the loss of freedom of movement; its consequences extend to physical health, family life, and psychological well-being, leaving scars that may persist long after a sentence has been served.
Abla Kemari’s case remains a painful illustration of the human suffering that custodial sentences can cause, particularly when they are linked to the exercise of freedom of expression and peaceful activism. It reveals the heavy price women may pay for their opinions and convictions, while underscoring that the protection of human dignity and access to healthcare are rights that do not disappear behind prison walls, and that freedom should not become a long-awaited date repeatedly postponed whenever it draws near.
