French-Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal's Detention Raises International Concerns

French officials express alarm over the health and legal circumstances of the imprisoned author, while Algerian authorities dispute claims of a hunger strike.

Boualem Sansal, a prominent Franco-Algerian writer, has been detained in Algeria since November 2024 under charges related to state security.
French officials, including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, have voiced serious concerns about Sansal's health, morale, and legal representation.
Sansal's French lawyer claims the writer began a hunger strike to protest alleged pressure to change his legal counsel, but Algerian authorities deny this and assert his medical treatment is ongoing.
Reports suggest Algerian officials pressured Sansal to replace his lawyer with one who is not Jewish, a demand the writer reportedly found deeply offensive.
Sansal's detention follows his critical remarks about the Algerian regime and its position on the Sahara conflict, further straining France-Algeria relations.