Writer Sentenced in Algeria Sparks International Outcry

The recent sentencing of Boualem Sansal has ignited global condemnation and highlighted the tensions between Algeria and France.

An Algerian French author, Boualem Sansal, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Algerian government, an event that has sent shockwaves through the literary community worldwide. The ruling on March 27, 2025, came after Sansal, who recently acquired French citizenship, was accused of actions undermining national unity and security due to remarks he made expressing support for Morocco amid its territorial disputes with Algeria.

Sansal’s arrest occurred last November and has since been a flashpoint for heightened tensions between Algeria and France—once Algeria's colonial ruler. His case has garnered a significant outcry, including calls for his release from French President Emmanuel Macron, who condemned the treatment of the writer as a serious infringement on freedom of speech.

Reports indicate that Sansal's trial lacked transparency; he was denied access to his legal representatives and reportedly faced a mere twenty-minute hearing. Francois Zimeray, Sansal’s lawyer in France, characterized the proceedings as “cruel,” asserting that the verdict stands in stark contrast to true justice. Zimeray stated, “Five years in prison for an innocent writer” reveals a grave injustice.

As a man of approximate 80 years battling cancer, Sansal is currently detained in Kolea prison located near the Algerian capital, Algiers. The case continues to raise alarms regarding the treatment of dissenting voices within Algeria and underlines the ongoing global struggle for authors’ rights and intellectual freedom.