An Algerian French writer, Boualem Sansal, was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday after being accused of undermining national unity and security, a case that has heightened tensions between Algeria and France.
Sansal, who was born in Algeria and became a French citizen last year, was arrested in November for statements made to French media supporting Morocco in a territorial dispute with Algeria.
His arrest provoked international condemnation from authors and intellectuals, culminating in his sentencing despite calls for his release from French President Emmanuel Macron. France was previously the colonial ruler of Algeria.
According to Sansal's lawyer, Francois Zimeray, Sansal was tried and sentenced without access to legal counsel. Zimeray described the court proceedings as a "cruel detention," stating that it included only a brief hearing and a restricted defense, labeling the outcome a betrayal of justice.
At approximately 80 years old and diagnosed with cancer, Sansal is currently incarcerated at Kolea prison near Algiers. Zimeray emphasized the inhumane nature of Sansal's incarceration given his health and age, urging the Algerian president to allow mercy to prevail in what he characterized as a failure of justice.
Zimeray indicated that the next steps regarding Sansal's case remain uncertain but may be critical in the coming weeks, stating that the decision lies with the Algerian government.
President Macron referred to Sansal as a "great writer" during a briefing, expressing concern over his health and advocating for his release, indicating a hopeful reliance on the humanitarian considerations of Algerian authorities.
Recently, Zimeray appealed to the United Nations, labeling Sansal's detention as arbitrary and part of a broader pattern of suppressing freedom of expression in Algeria, where the justice system is perceived as being used against dissent.
Since Sansal's arrest upon his return to Algeria, his case has garnered significant backlash from French lawmakers and global writers, including Nobel laureates who have condemned what they termed "editorial terrorism" in the country.
The repression of journalists in Algeria has escalated in recent years, especially following mass protests in 2019 that ousted the former president. The current leader, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, elected with military backing, has shifted toward stricter authoritarian measures.
Dozens of journalists are said to be imprisoned in Algeria as the government seeks to suppress any resurgence of protests, although precise figures remain unclear due to restrictions on independent reporting.
Sansal has been a vocal critic of both Islamism and the Algerian government. In 2012, he faced backlash after attending a writers festival in Jerusalem, leading to the withdrawal of financial support for a literary prize.
The statements leading to his detention coincided with heightened tensions between Algeria and France, particularly following Macron's comments suggesting that Western Sahara should be under Moroccan sovereignty, which angered many Algerians. Sansal also remarked that Algeria had benefited from French colonization in terms of territorial gain in the Western Sahara.
A civil engineer by training, Sansal published his debut novel, “The Oath of the Barbarians,” in 1999, which criticized Islamic fundamentalism and government oppression, marking the beginning of his literary career.