Algerian author Kamel Daoud is facing legal trouble following accusations from Saada Arbane that he used her personal story as inspiration for his Goncourt-winning novel, “Houris.” A lawsuit has been filed, citing violations of medical confidentiality and laws protecting the narratives of victims of the Algerian civil war.
Controversy Erupts as Prize-Winning Author Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Story Theft
Controversy Erupts as Prize-Winning Author Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Story Theft
Kamel Daoud's recent Goncourt prize raises ethical concerns as a woman claims he based his heroine on her traumatic past.
Kamel Daoud, the Algerian author who recently clinched France's prestigious Goncourt prize for his novel "Houris," is steeling himself against a lawsuit that alleges he appropriated the life story of a woman who survived a notorious massacre during Algeria’s 1990s civil war.
Saada Arbane, the plaintiff, has come forward alleging that the character Fajr in Daoud's novel, which delves deeply into the civil war's impact and its myriad of horrors, mirrors her own harrowing story—one that includes surviving a throat-slashing attack during an Islamist militant raid that decimated her family. Arbane, who now communicates via a speaking tube, claims that many nuances of Fajr’s character, from her physical scars to her personal relationships, were drawn from her personal experiences relayed during therapy sessions with Daoud's spouse, Aicha Dahdouh.
Having refused to grant Daoud permission to use her narrative, Arbane expressed her distress over what she perceives as a disregard for her life's traumatic events: "It’s my life. It’s my past. He had no right to chuck me out like that," she stated in an appearance on Algerian television.
The lawsuit, filed in Algeria, cites breaches of medical confidentiality and invokes a controversial law against using the suffering from Algeria’s civil war for profit or literary gain. This law has restricted discussions and publications surrounding the civil conflicts, leading to "Houris" being banned in Algeria. The novel has stirred political unrest, embroiled in rising tensions between Algeria and France, further intensified by recent contentious statements from French President Emmanuel Macron regarding Morocco.
Daoud, who has been living in Paris since 2020 and holds French citizenship, remains silent on the unfolding legal disputes. However, his publisher, Antoine Gallimard, voiced concerns, asserting that Daoud is a victim of a calculated smear campaign against him and that while real historical tragedies may have influenced his writing, the characters within "Houris" are entirely fictitious.
Additionally, the literary world is on edge following reports of fellow Algerian writer Boualem Sansal's disappearance shortly after arriving in Algiers. Known for his dissent against the Algerian regime, Sansal's recent absence has sparked fears of arrest, adding to the charged atmosphere surrounding Algerian literary figures today.
