Algerian Historian Faces 7-Year Sentence Over Controversial Amazigh Remarks on Emirati TV
Prosecution seeks harsh prison term for Mohamed El Amine Belghith after comments questioning Amazigh identity spark national uproar
Watan-The Dar El Beida Court in the eastern suburb of Algiers has requested a 7-year prison sentence for historian Mohamed El Amine Belghith over statements he made on an Emirati TV channel that questioned the legitimacy of the Amazigh identity.
Belghith, who was accompanied by a large legal team, is being prosecuted on charges of:
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Spreading hate speech and discrimination through information technology,
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Deliberately promoting harmful information likely to disrupt public order, and
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Undermining national unity and territorial integrity.
The trial followed an earlier decision by Algerian authorities to drop felony-level charges against Belghith, interpreted by many as an attempt to ease public pressure after widespread outrage over his pretrial detention.
Several members of parliament had publicly called for his release, citing his patriotism, his scholarly work, and the fact that he is the son of a martyr. They argued that his background should weigh in favor of clemency.
Belghith Claims Media Manipulation
According to leaked details from the investigation, Belghith told authorities he was misrepresented due to “editorial manipulation” by Sky News Arabia, the Emirati channel that aired the interview. He claimed he had no recording to prove the content was edited to distort his meaning.
Belghith said several remarks were omitted from his segment, especially those concerning the Amazigh identity, and that the interviewer had asked him a “loaded question.” His responses, he said, were based on historic academic research.
Regarding his controversial label of some Algerians in France as “Harkis” (a term often used for traitors or collaborators), Belghith clarified that he was referring to individuals who opposed Algeria’s national interests in the past but now claim patriotism after securing French residency. He denied targeting all Algerian migrants.
He said the interview was recorded on March 5 at Sky News Arabia’s studio in Algiers, after a journalist contacted him to speak on a segment titled “Algerian-French Relations.”
Backlash and Charges
Belghith’s remarks—claiming that Amazigh identity is a “French-Zionist ideological project” and that Berbers are of Phoenician Arab origin—sparked intense backlash from cultural, political, and academic circles in Algeria.
He said in the interview:“There is no such thing as Amazigh culture. It’s a French-Zionist ideological project. The Berbers are ancient Arabs, according to the consensus of great historians.”
He further added:“The Amazigh issue, as agreed upon by the rational voices of Libya, Algeria, and Morocco, is a political project meant to undermine Maghreb unity and serve French neocolonial aims.”
“We trace our origins to the Phoenician Canaanites—this is the real root of our distinction from internal and external adversaries.”
His statements were widely condemned as an attack on one of the three pillars of Algerian national identity, as defined by the Constitution: Islam, Arabism, and Amazighity.
Regional Fallout
Following the interview, Belghith faced accusations of inciting ethnic division on a foreign media platform perceived as hostile to Algerian sovereignty. Critics argued this exceeded freedom of speech and constituted a threat to national unity.
The controversy has even strained diplomatic relations with the UAE, with Algerian state television launching harsh criticism against Abu Dhabi, accusing its affiliated media of attempting to undermine Algeria’s national foundations and historical identity.
The case continues to stir public debate in Algeria, where discussions of identity, historical narrative, and foreign media influence remain politically sensitive.
