Algerian court upholds five-year jail term for writer Boualem Sansal
Sansal, 80, had been living in France but was detained while visiting Algeria in November and sentenced in March after making statements to a French media outlet in which he endorsed Morocco's position that part of its territory was seized under French colonialism and annexed to Algeria.
Sansal denied the charges. He said his statements were made within the framework of freedom of expression and that he had no intention of offending Algeria.
"France regrets the appeal court's decision to impose a prison sentence on our compatriot Boualem Sansal, which maintains the sentence handed down by the lower court", the French Foreign Ministry said.
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