Hocine Zehouane, born in 1935 in

Draâ Ben Khedda Draâ Ben Khedda (in Berber ⴷⵔⴰ ⴱⴻⵏ ⵅⴻⴷⴷⴰ) is a town and commune in Tizi Ouzou Province in northern Algeria. The territory of the commune is bordered to the north by the Oued Sebaou and crossed by the Oued Bougdoura in its ...

, is an Algerian politician and human rights activist.

Early life

Hocine Zehouane was born in Draâ Ben Kheda in

Kabylia Kabylia ('' Kabyle: Tamurt n Leqbayel'' or ''Iqbayliyen'', meaning "Land of Kabyles", '','' meaning "Land of the Tribes") is a cultural, natural and historical region in northern Algeria and the homeland of the Kabyle people. It is part of th ...

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

. He joined the

Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties The Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties (MTLD), name proposed by Maiza, was created October 1946 to replace the outlawed Parti du Peuple Algerien (PPA). Messali Hadj remained as its president. The MTLD was created on the same platform ...

MTLD, in 1954, while still in high school. He was then arrested and Imprisoned from 1955 to 1957. On his release from prison, he joined the maquis in Kabylia. Wilaya III officer (Kabylia). He joined the

Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic The Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic ( ar, الحكومة المؤقتة للجمهورية الجزائرية, ; French: ''Gouvernement provisoire de la République algérienne'') was the government-in-exile of the Algerian Natio ...

in March 1960.

The League for Human Rights

In 1985 he participated in the founding of the first Algerian League for Human Rights (LADH), and in 2005 he became president of the

Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights Algerian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Algeria * Algerian people, a person or people from Algeria, or of Algerian descent * Algerian cuisine * Algerian culture * Algerian Islamic reference * Algerian Mus'haf * Algerian (solitaire) * A ...

After the liberation

As a member of the Political Bureau of the National Liberation Front in 1964, in charge of the guidance sector, Hocine Zehouane participated in the first regional Congress of the

General Union of Algerian Workers The General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA, French: ''Union Générale des Travailleurs Algériens'', Arabic: الاتحاد العام للعمال الجزائريين) is the main Algerian trade union, established February 24, 1956 with the ob ...

. On this occasion, he declared that "Algerian workers must gain access to political power". He opposed the coup d'etat of June 19, 1965 by

Houari Boumedienne Houari is a given name and surname. It may refer to: Persons Given name *Houari Boumédiène, also transcribed Boumediene, Boumedienne etc. (1932–1978), served as Chairman of the Revolutionary Council of Algeria from 19 June 1965 until 12 Decembe ...

, which led him to prison before being placed under

house arrest In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...

in the south from 1965 to 1971. He went into

exile Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

after 1973 and returned to his country after the death of Algerian President Houari Boumédiène.Houari Boumedienne
/ref>

References

{{Reflist Algerian nationalists 20th-century Algerian politicians African democratic socialists Algerian Arab nationalists National Liberation Front (Algeria) Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties politicians Kabyle people Muslim socialists