Algerian Author Sued for Allegedly Plagiarizing Survivor's Story in Prize-Winning Novel

The controversy surrounding Kamel Daoud’s novel has sparked public discourse around authorship, consent, and the boundaries of storytelling in the context of trauma.

Kamel Daoud, the recently crowned winner of France’s prestigious Goncourt prize for his novel "Houris," is facing a lawsuit in Algeria brought forth by Saada Arbane, a woman who alleges that the book's protagonist is based on her own life experiences. Arbane, a survivor of a brutal Islamist assault during Algeria’s civil war in the 1990s, claims that the narrative closely mirrors her tragic story, including the attack that left her with a speaking tube following a throat slashing.

"Houris," which depicts the harrowing realities of Algeria's civil war that claimed countless lives, features a character named Fajr, whose background bears striking similarities to that of Arbane. Through an interview on Algerian television, Arbane shared her ordeal and expressed outrage at how Daoud allegedly appropriated her life without her consent. She claims to have shared intimate details of her experiences with Aicha Dahdouh, Daoud’s wife and psychiatrist, during several sessions. These private discussions, she argues, formed the basis of Fajr's narrative.

Arbane has stated that despite her refusal to allow Daoud to utilize her story three years ago during a meeting, the author proceeded to weave elements of her trauma into his fictional work. "It’s my life. It’s my past. He had no right to chuck me out like that," she remarked on Algeria One TV, clearly distressed over the perceived violation of her personal history.

Legal action against the couple has led to two lawsuits; one based on breaches of medical confidentiality and the other on a law against exploiting the traumas from Algeria’s national tragedy. This "reconciliation" law, enacted post-civil war, limits discourse on the conflict, and it has resulted in "Houris" being banned in Algeria alongside a prohibition on the book's French publisher from participating in the recent Algiers book fair.

Daoud, who relocated to Paris in 2020 and subsequently gained French nationality, has become a polarizing figure within Algeria, accused by some of having betrayed his homeland. His literary achievements have stirred discontent given historical tensions between Algeria and France, exacerbated by President Macron's recent political maneuvers regarding Western Sahara, which many in Algeria view as a betrayal.

While Daoud has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, his publisher, Antoine Gallimard, suggested that Daoud is enduring a politically charged character assassination, assuring that "Houris," while influenced by real events, remains purely fictional.

The lawsuits were officially unveiled this week, as attorney Fatima Benbraham—described as a staunch ally of the Algerian regime—revealed that they were submitted in August following the novel’s release. The timing of the announcement seeks to clarify that the plaintiffs were not attempting to sabotage the book's Goncourt nomination.

This literary feud emerges against a backdrop of heightened tensions—recent reports indicate that fellow Algerian author Boualel Sansal has gone missing upon his return to Algeria, raising concerns for his safety amid accusations of regime criticism.