Unmasking French Colonialism, n. 1 – Execution as Colonial Policy: France’s Strategy to Suppress Algeria’s Fight for Independence
BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers, Algeria | October 31st, 2024 — During the brutal occupation of Algeria, French colonial authorities unleashed a campaign of terror and systematic executions as a weapon to quash Algeria’s independence movement. Beyond mere suppression, France institutionalized the death penalty as a strategy, targeting resistance fighters, political activists, and even minors, attempting to dismantle the revolutionary zeal of the Algerian people. Historian Djamel Yahiaoui, in a recent interview, underscored that the mass executions ordered by the colonial administration reveal a dark truth: France’s colonial ambitions in Algeria were maintained through a relentless policy of calculated violence.
While France prided itself on ideals of liberty, democracy, and human rights, its colonial practices in Algeria starkly contradicted these principles. According to Yahiaoui, the French colonial regime depended on terror to maintain control, using execution as a tool of intimidation and collective punishment. Evidence of France’s grim policies still exists in historical archives and testimonies, documenting the suffering of unarmed civilians, political prisoners, and freedom fighters alike. Yahiaoui observes that France’s widespread use of the guillotine in Algeria reflected the state’s desire to publicly terrorize, crush morale, and undercut the legitimacy of the independence movement.
French officers and soldiers routinely engaged in extrajudicial killings, a daily occurrence across Algeria’s cities, villages, and rural outposts. Reports from the era highlight military leaders who took pride in their brutality, boasting in letters to their families about their role in suppressing the so-called “insurgents.” These brutal actions often led to promotions, as colonial authorities viewed the willingness to execute as a mark of loyalty to the imperial mission. Witnesses of the era recount that mass executions were commonplace, especially in areas like Al-Harrach, Blida’s Chiffa, and Annaba, where Algerian men, women, and children were ruthlessly eliminated.
While the guillotine is most famously associated with the prison at Barberousse in Algiers, records reveal its use much earlier against Algerian resistors. In 1895, for instance, Algerian resistance fighter Arzaki Al-Bachir was publicly executed in the town square of Azazga. The guillotine had been shipped from France specifically for his execution—a demonstration intended to break the will of the local population. During Algeria’s war for independence, particularly between 1957 and 1958, France accelerated its use of execution against activists, freedom fighters, and supporters. Yahiaoui confirms that as Algeria’s National Liberation Army (ALN) achieved victories both militarily and diplomatically, France resorted to mass executions to stymie the independence movement’s momentum.
The colonial administration, however, was strategic in how it wielded the death penalty. The French military tribunals, operating from notorious detention centers like Barberousse in Algiers, Coudiat in Constantine, and Oran prison, functioned as tools for controlling public sentiment. Each wave of executions was strategically timed to counteract notable victories achieved by the National Liberation Front (FLN) or to distract international audiences from the successes of the independence movement. French authorities exploited executions as a form of psychological warfare, hoping to divide Algerians and quell support for the independence struggle. The colonial forces intensified their campaign following Algerian military successes, particularly after notable victories that rallied international support for Algeria’s cause. By executing prominent figures, French authorities sought to suppress this groundswell of support and silence advocates of Algerian sovereignty.
Between June 1956 and 1962, the guillotine claimed the lives of numerous Algerians, with martyrs like Ahmed Zabana becoming symbols of resistance, as the colonial administration sought to crush the morale of a population steadfast in its pursuit of freedom. Zabana, along with his companion Rachid Frache, was executed at the height of the independence movement, and his martyrdom served as a rallying point for Algerians both within and outside Algeria. His death, among many others, marked France’s desperate measures to control a nation resolutely committed to its freedom.
The French administration attempted to legitimize these actions by claiming they were preserving “public order,” but in reality, it was a systematic strategy of terror and eradication targeting Algerian identity and nationalism. Historians emphasize that the executions committed by French authorities qualify as war crimes, especially given that many of those sentenced were branded as common criminals in an attempt to strip them of their political identity and revolutionary purpose.
One of the most egregious aspects of this colonial policy was the execution of minors. Records reveal that Algerians as young as Abdel Rahman Khalifi were sentenced to death, underscoring the severity of France’s attempts to crush the independence movement. These policies extended to Algerian activists detained on French soil, where torture and prolonged incarceration preceded execution, adding a layer of psychological torment intended to demoralize both the victims and the Algerian diaspora.
France cannot absolve itself of responsibility for these atrocities. These executions, sanctioned at the highest levels, were not merely the actions of rogue soldiers but a state policy explicitly endorsed by key French officials. François Mitterrand, then-Minister of Justice and later President of France, oversaw and legitimized these executions as Vice President of the High Council of the Judiciary. His involvement is meticulously documented, including in the recent publication François Mitterrand and the Algerian War, which reveals Mitterrand’s instrumental role in advocating for and carrying out death sentences against Algerian freedom fighters.
For Algeria, the memory of these atrocities serves as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by countless martyrs in the pursuit of independence. The pain and scars left by the policy of execution are woven into Algeria’s historical consciousness, a legacy of resilience and unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom and sovereignty. Today, as Algeria continues to honor its martyrs, the demand for accountability remains, challenging France to confront and acknowledge its colonial crimes against the Algerian people.
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