Overview

• Boualem Sansal, 80, was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 500,000 dinars by an Algerian court for charges including 'attacking national unity' and 'outrage to constituted bodies.'
• Sansal's conviction stems from statements supporting Morocco's territorial claims, made in a French far-right media outlet, which Algeria views as undermining its sovereignty.
• The expedited trial, lasting only 20 minutes, and the limited defense available to Sansal have drawn criticism over judicial fairness and human rights concerns.
• French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Sansal's release, citing humanitarian grounds, while speculation grows over a potential presidential pardon by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
• The case has further strained Franco-Algerian relations, already tense due to France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, with Sansal's health condition adding urgency to advocacy efforts.