Algeria Targets Author Kamel Daoud With Two International Arrest Warrants
Rabat – France recently acknowledged that they were notified of two international arrest warrants issued by Algerian authorities targeting French-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the information on Wednesday.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said France would keep a close watch on the situation. He described Daoud as a 'respected and well-known author' and recalled France's unwavering stance on freedom of expression.
The warrants come in the wake of legal proceedings launched in Algeria last year. A court in Oran accepted complaints filed against Daoud and his wife, a psychiatrist, over the novel Houris, which won the 2024 Prix Goncourt, one of France's highest literary honors.
At the heart of the case lies the story of Saâda Arbane, a woman who survived one of the many massacres of Algeria's civil war in the 1990s. Arbane accuses Daoud and his wife of using details from her trauma without her consent.
She had been under the care of Daoud's wife, and the novel's protagonist bears echoes of her experience, particularly a harrowing incident where a young woman survives a throat-slashing on the eve of Algeria's new millennium.
Arbane filed one of the two complaints in Algeria. The second comes from Algeria's National Organization of Victims of Terrorism. Both claim the novel appropriates the pain of real people for literary gain.
Daoud also faces a civil lawsuit in France, where Arbane claims violation of privacy. A court in Paris held a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Under Algerian law, courts may issue international arrest warrants when suspects are abroad. Daoud, currently in France, learned of the warrants through his lawyer, Jacqueline Laffont-Haïk.
'These warrants carry a clear political motive,' she told AFP. 'This is part of a wider attempt to silence a writer whose work touches on Algeria's most painful memories.'
Laffont-Haïk said her team would file an appeal with Interpol's Commission for the Control of Files to prevent further distribution of the warrants.
Houris explores the aftermath of Islamist violence in Algeria, focusing on the personal scars it left behind. Due to Algerian censorship laws, which ban literature addressing the civil war between 1992 and 2002, the novel remains unavailable in the country.
Speaking on France Inter in December, Daoud defended his novel, stating the story was already part of the public domain in Algeria and insisting that Houris does not chronicle Arbane's life. His publisher, Gallimard, denounced what it described as smear campaigns from media close to Algerian authorities.
As legal pressure mounts on Daoud, the case raises larger questions about the boundaries between fiction and truth, memory and silence, and the cost writers may pay when they return to the wounds a country refuses to examine. Tags: Algerian authorbook censorshipdaoud kamelhourisKamel DaoudLiterature
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
7 hours ago
- Morocco World
Algeria's Jabaroot Targets Justice Ministry in Latest Cyberattack on Moroccan Institutions
Rabat – The Algerian hacker group Jabaroot has claimed responsibility for a new cyberattack targeting Morocco's Ministry of Justice, in what appears to be the latest in a string of breaches against state institutions. In a statement posted Monday to their Telegram channel, the group said it had accessed highly sensitive data linked to Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi, along with files concerning roughly 5,000 magistrates and some 35,000 officials across the judicial sector. This latest claim follows similar declarations from Jabaroot in recent weeks. The group previously announced it had infiltrated the systems of the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), forcing a temporary shutdown of online services in April. Around the same time, it also claimed to have breached the National Agency for Land Registry, Cadastre and Cartography (ANCFCC), allegedly gaining access to more than 10 million documents, including property certificates, ID cards, bank statements, and notarized records. Jabaroot's tone in Monday's message was pointed. 'Here we are back after a little truce on the occasion of Eid al-Adha!' the statement opened. The group framed its activities as part of a mission to confront political corruption. 'Our main goal by leaking all that data is to raise consciousness among the people of Morocco about the corruption of their leaders and the injustice they are facing every day,' it wrote. The hackers accused Moroccan authorities of turning a blind eye to their previous disclosures. 'Talking about (in)justice, we have noted with a profound astonishment the suspicious and complicit silence and inaction of the government (particularly the Ministry of Justice and all the magistrates of the kingdom led by the Minister of Justice) towards those bombshell revelations (published or not yet),' the message stated. 'All the Justice IT infrastructure is already pawned' Jabaroot said it had hoped to see officials take initiative and open investigations, claiming they would have cooperated. 'The first logical step would have been for Mr. Ouahbi and the kingdom's magistrates to open transparent investigations in which we would have willingly participated by providing more evidence and documents. Instead, they fell into a doubtful and questionable muteness.' The group claims that not only does it hold information about Minister Ouahbi and thousands of individuals within the Moroccan justice system, but that it also controls the Justice Ministry's entire digital infrastructure. 'Hereby, Jabaroot announces that it possesses deep and very sensitive data about: The Minister of Justice Mr. Abdellatif Ouahbi, all the magistrates of the Kingdom (about 5000), most of the justice sector officials (about 35000). Moreover, all the Justice IT infrastructure is already pawned.' The statement closed with a warning and a suggestion. Jabaroot said it would begin its own investigation and release information publicly if no action is taken. 'If nothing is done in this direction, Jabaroot will conduct deeper investigations by itself and inform the public, journalists and opponents in full transparency, with supporting documents.' Addressing the minister himself, the group wrote, 'If Mr. Ouahbi feels that he can't take actions because of pressures or any other reasons, the door is always open for resignation.' The Ministry of Justice has not responded to the allegations. If verified, this would mark one of the most serious digital intrusions involving Morocco's justice system, further fueling concerns over the country's cybersecurity readiness. Tags: Algerian hackerJabarootMorocco cyberattacksMorocco cybersecurity
Morocco World
9 hours ago
- Morocco World
Princess Lalla Hasnaa Participates in Mediterranean Dialogue on Connectivity at UN Summit
Rabat – Princess Lalla Hasnaa, representing King Mohammed VI, took part on Monday in the 'Summit for a Connected Mediterranean,' held at the historic Palais des Rois Sardes in Nice. The event, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, brought together heads of state and government from Europe, the Mediterranean region, and the Gulf, along with representatives of international and regional organizations. Held on the margins of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3), the summit placed the Mediterranean at the heart of urgent conversations about the future of global connectivity. King Mohammed VI, in a message delivered by Princess Lalla Hasnaa at the summit, called on African nations to take greater ownership of their maritime spaces, describing the seas as vital to the continent's future. He welcomed the participation of African leaders at what he described as an 'unprecedented summit' focused on the continent's 30,000 kilometers of shared coastline. The King also lauded French President Emmanuel Macron for his dedication to ocean protection and urged African countries to move from recognizing the importance of marine resources to taking concrete steps to protect and develop them. He noted that while Africa's seas offer immense potential, they remain largely underexploited and poorly safeguarded. Far from a routine gathering, it marked a deliberate push to reimagine how countries around the sea relate to one another, by land, by sea, and through digital networks. The summit unfolded with a shared sense of purpose. Delegations laid out plans to improve transport infrastructure, expand digital links, and develop energy corridors. These announcements reflect a growing awareness that the region's future depends on cooperation rather than competition. Morocco's presence in this forum signaled its active role in shaping that future. Through the voice of Princess Lalla Hasnaa, the country expressed its commitment to building stronger bridges across the Mediterranean, geographically and politically. In a world where divisions deepen and environmental threats grow, the summit in Nice stood as a reminder that connectivity is not only about cables and roads, but about trust, vision, and a willingness to act together. Tags: Morocco france tiesPrincess Lalla HasnaaUN Ocean ConferenceUNOC-3
Morocco World
10 hours ago
- Morocco World
Macron Applauds Morocco's Leadership in Ocean Conservation at UN Conference
Rabat – At the opening of the 'Africa for the Ocean' summit in Nice, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed admiration for what he described as King Mohammed VI's strong and forward-looking commitment to building a blue economy for Africa. Speaking alongside Princess Lalla Hasnaa, who represented the Moroccan monarch at the event, Macron described the King's message as 'clear' and 'decisive' in guiding the continent toward sustainable ocean development. King Mohammed VI addressed the summit with a message urging African nations to take greater ownership of their seas, which he described as central to the continent's future. Delivered by Princess Lalla Hasnaa, the message welcomed the presence of African leaders at what the monarch called an 'unprecedented summit' focused on Africa's 30,000 kilometers of shared coastline. In his message, the King commended President Emmanuel Macron for his commitment to ocean protection and emphasized the pressing need for Africa to move beyond acknowledging the value of its marine resources to actively safeguarding and developing them. He warned that while the continent's seas hold immense promise, they remain largely untapped and insufficiently protected. At the core of the King's message was a conviction that Africa's oceans, if managed responsibly, could serve as a foundation for long-term prosperity across the continent. The summit, organized ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, brought together African leaders, policymakers, and international partners to reflect on the continent's ocean potential and the responsibilities that come with it. For Macron, Morocco's place at the helm felt natural. 'Morocco stands out on the continent,' he said, noting the country's efforts in ocean governance, its stance against plastic pollution, and its push for regional cooperation. 'These are not just policies, but signs of a clear vision,' he added. Macron reserved special words for the Atlantic Initiative, a project launched by King Mohammed VI to give landlocked African countries access to the Atlantic. 'This idea reflects a continental vision, one that doesn't leave any nation behind,' he said. He also linked this vision to past milestones, including the launch of Tanger Med two decades ago. 'What began as a bold idea is now the most important port in the Mediterranean,' he said. Looking ahead, Macron pointed to the upcoming opening of the Dakhla port as the next chapter in Morocco's ocean strategy. 'It marks more than infrastructure,' he said. 'It marks a determination to connect all of Africa to global maritime routes.' The French leader also reflected on the symbolism of the summit itself. 'It is not by accident that Morocco and France are co-hosting this event,' he said. 'We share a shoreline, a long-standing relationship, and a shared desire to face essential questions together.' Delegates explored ways to unlock investment for ocean-related infrastructure, ensure sustainable management of fish stocks, and build better ties between landlocked and coastal countries. Tags: Emmanuel MacronFrance Morocco tiesKing Mohammed VIUNOC-3
