12-03-2025
French Commission Approves Expulsion of Algerian TikToker ‘Doualemn'
Rabat – The expulsion commission in Hérault, France, issued today a favorable opinion supporting authorities' request to expel Algerian TikToker 'Doualemn.'
The three-magistrate commission endorsed the previous decision to deport the Algerian social media influencer, whose previous deportation attempt sparked diplomatic tensions between Paris and Algiers, after Algeria denied him access to its territory.
Doualemn's lawyer David-Bellouard characterized the ruling as politically motivated, claiming her client has become 'a standard-bearer for this government's migration policy.'
The commission's advisory opinion came from a panel of two judicial court magistrates and one administrative judge following a public hearing on March 5 during which Doulamen received a five-month suspended prison term.
The court issued the sentence charging Doulamen of 'incitement to commit a crime or offense.'
The case centers on 59-year-old Boualem Naman, a maintenance worker known online as 'Doualemn' with approximately 138,000 TikTok followers. The Hérault prefect had requested the hearing to pursue territorial expulsion measures against him.
David-Bellouard stated she would challenge any expulsion decision through emergency procedures and on substantive grounds.
The controversy began in early January when Doualemn posted a video inciting hate speech against anti-Algerian activists.
Read also: 'Algeria Seeks to Humiliate France': French-Algerian Diplomatic Tensions Deepen
The video initially prompted French authorities to revoke his residence permit and deport him to Algeria on January 9.
However, Algerian officials immediately returned him to France, triggering a diplomatic crisis between the nations.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau responded to Algeria's move as a step 'seeking to humiliate France.'
Algiers went on to deny entry to several irregular migrants, including the perpetrator of a February 22 attack in Mulhouse, leading to a further escalation in diplomatic tension.
The Administrative Court of Melun subsequently annulled his obligation to leave French territory (OQTF), ordering authorities to restart proceedings with an adversarial debate, which led to his appearance before the expulsion commission.
The case is part of broader ongoing tensions in Franco-Algerian relations, ignited particularly following Paris' pivotal position on Morocco's southern provinces.
Algeria strongly opposes France's endorsement of Morocco's autonomy plan and its territorial integrity over its southern provinces. Tags: Algeria France RelationsDoualemn case
