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Morocco World
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Macron Confident of Boualem Sansal's Imminent Release Amid Efforts to Ease Algeria-France Tensions
Rabat – French President Emmanuel Macron expressed optimism today over the anticipated release of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who is serving a five-year prison sentence in Algeria. Sansal's case is under 'special attention' by Algerian authorities, Macron commended during a visit to the Paris Book Festival, adding that the evolution of the case makes him confident that the writer would soon be released. 'I am confident because I know that there is particular attention. I am simply waiting for the results,' Macron said. He further noted, 'Our strongest wish is for the Algerian authorities to make the decision that will allow him to regain his freedom, receive treatment, and return to writing.' Macron made the remarks following a visit to the Morocco stand, this year's guest of honor at the festival. Sansal, who was sentenced on March 27 for 'undermining the integrity of the territory,' has been incarcerated since mid-November 2024. His politically motivated arrest and sentencing have been described as punishment for comments he made to the far-right French outlet Frontières. Sansal had suggested in the interview that Algeria had inherited territories from Morocco during French colonization. He has appealed the court's sentence, considering his case as unduly politicized and inadequately tried. Tensions between Algeria and France have been fraught since July 2024, when Macron voiced his support for Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara. Read also: French Committee Urges Protest Over Boualem Sansal's 10-Year Sentence Algeria supports the Polisario Front, a separatist group claiming independence in the Western Sahara region in southern Morocco. The arrest of Sansal added to the Algiers-Paris strain, as did Algeria's refusal, early in 2025, to accept Algerian influencers deported from France. In January, French President Emmanuel Macron ballistically criticized Algeria for imprisoning Sansal, denouncing the move as a 'disgrace.' Speaking before French ambassadors at the Élysée, Macron accused the Algerian authorities of denying the gravely ill author access to medical care. 'Algeria dishonors itself by preventing a gravely ill man from receiving proper care,' Macron stated. But recent efforts have aimed at easing the friction, including a phone call on March 31 between Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, which marked the beginning of renewed diplomatic dialogue. Still, it remains to be seen when and whether Algeria will indeed release Sansal in the coming days as part of ongoing efforts to ease tensions with France. Tags: Boualem Sansalfrance algeria tensionsfrance sansalhuman rightsMacron
Morocco World
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Boualem Sansal Appeals Five-Year Prison Sentence in Algeria
Rabat – Boualem Sansal has challenged his five-year prison sentence in Algeria, his lawyer in France, François Zimeray, confirmed to AFP on Wednesday. The 80-year-old French-Algerian writer, arrested in mid-November, remains at the center of growing diplomatic tensions. Zimeray stressed that filing an appeal does not rule out the possibility of a pardon. 'Under Article 91 of the Algerian Constitution, an appeal does not stand in the way of a presidential pardon,' he said. He also suggested that if a humanitarian release became an option, he would advise Sansal to withdraw the appeal. His remarks followed a phone conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, two days earlier. The two leaders, seeking to repair strained ties, discussed Sansal's case along with plans to revive security and migration cooperation. Sansal's sentencing on March 27 by a court in Dar El Beida, near Algiers, came against a backdrop of heightened political tensions. The charges stem from statements he made to the French publication Frontières, where he suggested that Algeria had acquired Moroccan land during the colonial era. His arrest deepened the diplomatic rift between Paris and Algiers, already fragile since France recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in July 2024. Algeria, a staunch supporter of the separatist group the Polisario Front, reacted sharply to the shift in French policy. Zimeray, acting on behalf of Sansal's French publisher Gallimard, had repeatedly sought permission to assist in the writer's legal defense but was never granted an Algerian visa. He continues to insist on his client's innocence, calling the charges of endangering state security unfounded. Despite the political tensions surrounding the case, recent diplomatic exchanges signal an attempt at rapprochement. But does this seemingly positive development mean that France and Algeria mean that Sansal's fate will be decided by legal arguments or by political calculations? Tags: Boualem Sansalfrance sansalFreedom of speechsansal
Morocco World
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
France and Algeria Reopen Talks Amid Diplomatic Strains, Move to Rekindle Ties
Rabat – After months of strained relations, French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, agreed to reestablish political dialogue and relaunch cooperation on security and migration. The decision came during a phone call today that signaled a shift in tone after a prolonged period of diplomatic tensions. Both leaders confirmed plans to resume exchanges in this field, with French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin expected in Algiers soon. Macron also urged Tebboune to show clemency toward Boualem Sansal, a French-Algerian writer sentenced to five years in prison by an Algerian court last week. Sansal, a vocal critic of the Algerian government, also drew its ire for remarks he made in October during an interview with Frontières , a French media outlet known for its far-right stance. In that interview, he echoed Morocco's claim that parts of its territory were ceded to Algeria during the French colonial era. The statement from the Élysée described the request as an appeal for 'humanity,' given Sansal's age and health condition. His detention, which dates back to November, has deepened the diplomatic rift between the two countries. As part of the effort to mend ties, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot will travel to Algiers on April 6 at the invitation of his Algerian counterpart, Ahmed Attaf. Relations between France and Algeria remain complex, shaped by a long history of political tensions. The latest rift worsened after Macron's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces in July 2024, a move that provoked strong reactions in Algiers. The French president reaffirmed his stance on Morocco's autonomy plan during a landmark speech on his state visit in October, which only ignited more hostility between Paris and Algiers. 'And I think, of course, first and foremost of Western Sahara, regarding which I wished to clarify my vision on behalf of France…. I reaffirm here that for France, the present and future of this territory fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty,' Macron said in his address to Morocco's Parliament.
Euronews
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal given five year prison sentence
ADVERTISEMENT French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal has been sentenced to five years in prison in Algeria for undermining the country's territorial integrity. Sansal was arrested in November last year at Algiers airport after he said that France unfairly ceded Moroccan territory to Algeria to far-right French media outlet Frontières. Since his detention, Sansal has spent most of this time in hospital due to a cancer diagnosis. The writer's sentence was read outside of the court in Dar El Beïda yesterday, saying he was to serve a 'five-year prison term' and pay a fine of 500,000 Algerian dinars (€3,500). Prosecutors had requested a 10-year prison sentence for the novelist, who has been convicted under article 87 of the Algerian penal code for undermining national unity, insulting an official body, undermining the national economy and possessing videos and publications that threaten national security and stability. Sansal defended his comments to the media, telling the court that 'my comments or writings were simply a personal opinion, and I have the right to do so like any Algerian citizen'. Born in Algeria during the French colonial period, Sansal has written exclusively in French and gained French citizenship in 2024. The writer has spent much of his literary career criticising the rise of Islam in Algeria, adn since 2006, his books have been banned in the country. His novel "2084: La fin du monde" ("2084: The End of the World"), a dystopian novel set in an Islamist totalitarian society following nuclear war, was awarded the 2015 Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie Française. Related Algeria blasts European Parliament for condemning arrest of French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal Trump issues executive order targeting 'woke' and 'anti-American' culture in US museums French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Algeria to release Sansal. 'I hope there can be humanitarian decisions by the highest Algerian authorities to give him back his freedom and allow him to be treated for the disease he is fighting,' he said in a news conference. It's not the first time Macron has spoken up for Sansal. In January, the president accused Algeria of 'disgracing itself' through the imprisonment. 'Algeria, which we love so much and with which we share so many children and so many stories, is dishonoring itself by preventing a seriously ill man from receiving treatment,' he said during a speech to French ambassadors at the Elysée Palace. 'And we who love the people of Algeria and its history urge its government to release Boualem Sansal,' Macron continued. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau delivers a speech during a gathering in support of detained Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, in Paris, Tuesday, March 25, 2025 Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 'We deplore the sentencing of our fellow citizen Boualem Sansal to prison,' Christophe Lemoine, spokesperson for France's Foreign Ministry said. He added that the French government was urging Algeria to find 'a rapid, humanitarian and dignified resolution to this situation'. Following his arrest in November, Sansal has gained mass public support in France. French news magazine Le Point released a letter written by Prix Goncourt winner Kamel Daoud and signed by multiple famous authors, demanding Sansal's immediate release. Signatories of the letter include the Nobel Prize winners Annie Ernaux, Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, Orhan Pamuk, Salman Rushdie, Peter Sloterdjik, Roberto Saviano and Wole Soyinka. The letter reads: 'This tragic news reflects an alarming reality in Algeria, where freedom of expression is nothing more than a memory in the face of repression, imprisonment, and the surveillance of the entire society.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal given five year prison sentence
French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal has been sentenced to five years in prison in Algeria for undermining the country's territorial integrity. Sansal was arrested in November last year at Algiers airport after he said that France unfairly ceded Moroccan territory to Algeria to far-right French media outlet Frontières. Since his detention, Sansal has spent most of this time in hospital due to a cancer diagnosis. The writer's sentence was read outside of the court in Dar El Beïda yesterday, saying he was to serve a 'five-year prison term' and pay a fine of 500,000 Algerian dinars (€3,500). Prosecutors had requested a 10-year prison sentence for the novelist, who has been convicted under article 87 of the Algerian penal code for undermining national unity, insulting an official body, undermining the national economy and possessing videos and publications that threaten national security and stability. Sansal defended his comments to the media, telling the court that 'my comments or writings were simply a personal opinion, and I have the right to do so like any Algerian citizen'. Born in Algeria during the French colonial period, Sansal has written exclusively in French and gained French citizenship in 2024. The writer has spent much of his literary career criticising the rise of Islam in Algeria, adn since 2006, his books have been banned in the country. His novel "2084: La fin du monde" ("2084: The End of the World"), a dystopian novel set in an Islamist totalitarian society following nuclear war, was awarded the 2015 Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie Française. Related Algeria blasts European Parliament for condemning arrest of French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal Trump issues executive order targeting 'woke' and 'anti-American' culture in US museums French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Algeria to release Sansal. 'I hope there can be humanitarian decisions by the highest Algerian authorities to give him back his freedom and allow him to be treated for the disease he is fighting,' he said in a news conference. It's not the first time Macron has spoken up for Sansal. In January, the president accused Algeria of 'disgracing itself' through the imprisonment. 'Algeria, which we love so much and with which we share so many children and so many stories, is dishonoring itself by preventing a seriously ill man from receiving treatment,' he said during a speech to French ambassadors at the Elysée Palace. 'And we who love the people of Algeria and its history urge its government to release Boualem Sansal,' Macron continued. 'We deplore the sentencing of our fellow citizen Boualem Sansal to prison,' Christophe Lemoine, spokesperson for France's Foreign Ministry said. He added that the French government was urging Algeria to find 'a rapid, humanitarian and dignified resolution to this situation'. Following his arrest in November, Sansal has gained mass public support in France. French news magazine Le Point released a letter written by Prix Goncourt winner Kamel Daoud and signed by multiple famous authors, demanding Sansal's immediate release. Signatories of the letter include the Nobel Prize winners Annie Ernaux, Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, Orhan Pamuk, Salman Rushdie, Peter Sloterdjik, Roberto Saviano and Wole Soyinka. The letter reads: 'This tragic news reflects an alarming reality in Algeria, where freedom of expression is nothing more than a memory in the face of repression, imprisonment, and the surveillance of the entire society.'
