Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal's 5-Year Sentence Provokes Outrage in France

An Algerian appeals court has upheld a five-year sentence for Boualem Sansal, a prominent writer and dual national, drawing condemnation from France and rekindling historical tensions between the two countries.

An Algerian appeals court has confirmed the five-year prison sentence of Boualem Sansal, a renowned writer born in Algeria and recently naturalized as a French citizen. Accused of undermining Algeria's national unity, Sansal's situation has escalated diplomatic strains reminiscent of Algeria's colonial past under French rule.

The conviction is rooted in comments he made favoring Morocco amid a territorial dispute, which led to his detention for over seven months. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune previously described the charges against Sansal as part of a campaign against Algeria. However, France's Foreign Ministry labeled Tuesday’s ruling as “incomprehensible and unjustified,” urging for a humanitarian resolution considering Sansal's age and health complications, including cancer.

French intellectuals and officials have rallied for his release, condemning the case as an infringement on free expression. Antoine Gallimard, Sansal's French publisher, reported that although Sansal is doing relatively well under detention, his legal team is considering amnesty options rather than further appeals.

Relations between Algeria and France have been increasingly fraught. Following President Macron's controversial support for Morocco over the Western Sahara issue, tensions escalated with reciprocal diplomatic expulsions. The mention of Algeria's historical context adds complexity to the discussions around Sansal, whose outspoken views on the colonial era have resonated amid current geopolitical tensions.

With the backing of French citizens and writers, the call for Boualem Sansal's release intensifies, spotlighting broader issues of free speech and state repression in Algeria.