Goncourt Winner Kamel Daoud Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Misuse of Algerian Woman's Story

Saâda Arbane accuses the author of basing his award-winning novel on her personal trauma without consent, seeking €200,000 in damages.

Saâda Arbane, an Algerian woman, claims that Kamel Daoud's novel 'Houris,' which won the 2024 Prix Goncourt, is based on her life story without her permission.
The lawsuit alleges that Daoud used private details Arbane shared with his wife, a psychiatrist, to create the fictional character Aube, central to the novel's plot.
Arbane is demanding €200,000 in damages and public acknowledgment of the alleged violation of her privacy, citing the unique and identifiable nature of the details used.
Daoud has denied the allegations, asserting that the story is public knowledge in Algeria and that the novel does not directly recount Arbane's life.
The case is considered exceptional in French legal history for its focus on privacy violations under the guise of fictional storytelling, with the first procedural hearing set for May 7 in Paris.