Following an unfair trial, the author Boualem Sansal was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment—a decision that further exacerbates diplomatic tensions between France and Algeria. He was arrested in November 2024 by the Algerian authorities, upon arrival from France.
The Franco-Algerian writer, known for denouncing the grip of Islamism on French society, was accused of “undermining the integrity of Algerian territory” for having supported, in the right-wing publication Frontières, the position that Moroccan territory had been amputated for the benefit of Algeria under French colonization. He was also accused of “colluding with foreign parties” for having repeatedly exchanged views with French ambassadors.
Aged 75, he was detained for more than four months before being subjected to a farcical trial. He was refused the opportunity to choose his own lawyer on the grounds that his own, François Zimeray, was Jewish. The hearing lasted no more than 20 minutes.
The prosecutor had requested a sentence of 10 years; he ended up being sentenced to ‘only’ five years—which is still a very severe sentence considering the writer’s age and his very poor health. Sansal is suffering from an advanced stage of cancer. His family and his support committee are concerned that this situation could be seen as a slow death sentence, given the conditions of his detention.
This is also the view of Marine Le Pen, whose voice rose on X in protest at the verdict:
The scandalous conviction of Boualem Sansal is in reality, given his age and state of health, a life sentence. It will remain an indelible stain on the Algerian regime. In reality, Boualem Sansal is a hostage of the Algerian regime, which is using him to make France yield.
Sansal’s lawyer has appealed to President Tebboune and called on his sense of humanity—if not justice—to free Sansal.
During a press conference at the end of the Ukraine summit, President Macron called on the “highest Algerian authorities” to make “humane and humanitarian” decisions regarding the Franco-Algerian writer and to “give him back his freedom.” “I know I can count on both the common sense and the humanity of the Algerian authorities to make such a decision,” added the President of the Republic. It is not certain that the terms ‘common sense’ and ‘humanity’ are the ones that best describe the current Algerian government.
In France, the verdict sparked indignation on the Right and the Left. Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal affirmed that through Sansal, it was France itself and its values that were targeted. The far-left MP and head of the parliamentary group of La France Insoumise (LFI) Mathilde Panot also came to Sansal’s defense, while pointing out that he should not be “exploited by the far right.” The Left has indeed always shown a certain reluctance to defend Boualem Sansal, whose uncompromising criticism of the excesses of Islam it condemns. In January, a resolution in support of the writer was passed in the European Parliament, without the votes of nine LFI MEPs.
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/boualem-sansal-jailed-france-algeria/