Algeria: Jailed French-Algerian writer pardoned

Algerian president Abdelmajid Tebboune has agreed to pardon writer Boualem Sansal following an official request from Germany’s President Frank Walter Steinmeier, according to RFI and agencies on 12th November. He is expected to be released shortly and transferred to Germany for medical treatment.

Boualem Sansal, 81, had been arrested in October 2024 following comments he made during an interview with a French far right media outlet, in which he stated that Western regions of Algeria had originally been part of Morocco, but had become part of Algeria because of French colonisation. He was then prosecuted for “undermining national unity” and sentenced to 5 years in jail in March 2025.

Sansal is one of the most prominent North African writers, known for his positions against the Algerian government. His books, written in French, have won him multiple prizes, most notably the Renaudot Prize in France and the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade.

He is not new to controversy: his 1999 book The Barbarians’ Oath criticised the rise of Islamist groups, in the midst of the Black Decade in Algeria during which 200,000 lost their lives. Another of his books, The German Man’s Village, was banned in Algeria for drawing a parallel between Nazi ideology and radical Islam.

The case has been a key issue of contention behind the breakdown of diplomatic relations between France and Algeria, as Sansal obtained French citizenship in 2024. France had been calling for his release for several months, particularly due to his age and deteriorating heath. His family had also expressed their concerns as he is suffering from prostate cancer.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu expressed his relief at Sansal’s release and thanked the people who campaigned on behalf of the writer and his family. Another French national, sports journalist Christophe Gleizes, remains in custody in Algeria, after being accused of “glorifying terrorism”. His appeal trial will take place on the 3rd of December, according to Reporters without Borders.

RFI with AFP, Reporters Without Borders, Maghrebi.org