Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal Detained for Four Months Without Fair Trial
The 80-year-old author faces worsening conditions as his lawyer escalates the case to international organizations, citing arbitrary detention and rights violations.
- Boualem Sansal, a prominent Algerian writer, has been held in detention since November 2024 under accusations of threatening state security and territorial integrity.
- His lawyer, François Zimeray, has been denied access to Sansal, making legal defense impossible and raising concerns about the fairness of any trial.
- Sansal, who is elderly and battling health issues, is reportedly being held under harsh conditions, including isolation and intimidation of his family and legal team.
- The detention is seen by advocates as politically motivated, linked to strained diplomatic relations between Algeria and France and Sansal's controversial statements about Algerian history.
- Efforts to secure his release have intensified, with Zimeray planning to involve the United Nations and other international bodies to challenge the legality of his detention.
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