Franco-Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal Sentenced to Five Years in Algerian Prison

The sentencing, widely condemned as politically motivated, highlights Algeria's crackdown on dissent and strains Franco-Algerian relations.

Boualem Sansal, an 80-year-old Franco-Algerian writer, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of endangering state security and territorial integrity under Algeria's anti-terrorism law.
The trial, held in Dar El Beïda, faced criticism for procedural irregularities, including the absence of Sansal's French lawyer due to visa denial.
Sansal's arrest in November 2024 followed controversial remarks in a French media interview, which allegedly supported Morocco's territorial claims against Algeria.
International intellectuals, human rights organizations, and French officials, including President Emmanuel Macron, have condemned the verdict and called for Sansal's release.
Concerns over Sansal's health, including his prostate cancer diagnosis, have added urgency to calls for his humane treatment and freedom.