Algerian court upholds prison sentence against Algerian-French Boualem Sansal

An Algerian appeals court has upheld a five-year prison sentence against renowned French Algerian author Boualem Sansal, intensifying concerns over freedom of expression in the North African country.

The ruling also includes a fine of 500,000 Algerian dinars (approximately $3,850).

Sansal, 80, was convicted of “undermining national unity” under Article 87 bis of the Algerian Penal Code, a provision often criticized by human rights groups for its vague language and frequent use against journalists and activists.

The charges stem from an interview he gave to the French outlet Frontières, in which he recalled the colonial origins of Algeria’s current borders, noting that parts of current Algerian territory historically belonged to Morocco.

Sansal was arrested in November 2024 upon arrival at Algiers International Airport. His detention was marked by a week-long period during which his whereabouts were unknown, and he was denied access to both legal counsel and his family.

The case has strained diplomatic relations between Algiers and Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister François Bayrou have both called for clemency, citing Sansal’s fragile health and the importance of upholding freedom of expression. Bayrou described the situation as “unacceptable” and urged Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to show “mercy and humanity”.

The verdict came after another Algerian court jailed French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes to seven years in jail.

The journalist, who specializes in African football for the Paris-based So Foot magazine, travelled to Algeria in May 2024 for an article on the well-known club JSK based in the breakaway Kabylie region.