27-03-2025
France outraged by imprisonment of author Boualem Sansal in Algeria
France has reacted with outrage to the sentencing of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, 80, who was given five years in prison by an Algerian court.
Numerous politicians denounced the ruling on Thursday, with former prime minister Gabriel Attal calling it arbitrary and a "parody of justice."
French President Emmanuel Macron called on Algerian officials to make a humanitarian decision allowing Sansal's release so he can receive medical treatment.
"I know that I can count on both the common sense and the humanity of the Algerian authorities to make such a decision," he said.
The French Foreign Ministry has urged a "quick, humane, and dignified solution" to the situation.
Sansal, winner of the 2011 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, was arrested upon arriving in Algiers in mid-November. He was later convicted of undermining national unity and security.
The charges stem from an interview in which he stated that Morocco's borders had been altered in Algeria's favour during the French colonial era. His remarks touched on a sensitive issue, as Algeria and Morocco remain locked in a long-standing dispute over territorial claims.
The German branch of the global writers' association PEN condemned the verdict and demanded Sansal's release, noting that he has long faced harassment and threats for his outspoken criticism of the Algerian government and political Islam. His lawyer has appealed to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for a pardon.
The case adds to the growing list of disputes between Algeria and France.
Last year French President Emmanuel Macron snubbed Algeria when he recognized Morocco's decades-old claim to Western Sahara.
Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975. After Spain withdrew, Morocco took control of large parts of the sparsely populated but resource-rich desert area. The Polisario Front is seeking an independent state in Western Sahara and is supported by Algeria.
