White smoke for Boualem Sansal. The Algerian Presidency announced on Wednesday, November 12, that this would happen “accept” to free the French-Algerian writer, imprisoned since November 2024 in Algeria. Boualem Sansal was sentenced to five years in prison in March 2025 for “undermining national unity”, a sentence that was confirmed on appeal in July.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune “responded well” at the request of his German colleague Frank-Walter Steinmeier, “about granting pardon to Boualem Sansal”according to the official press release. “The President responded to this request, which attracted his attention for its humanitarian nature and reasons.” The document did not specify whether the author’s release was effective.
The first French official to react to the announcement, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu expressed his opinion “relieved” and noted that the news was “the fruit of a method made of respect and serenity”. “We hope he can be reunited with his loved ones as soon as possible”he added to deputies, during a question and answer session with the government.
Monday, November 10, the German president urged the President of Algeria to pardon Boualem Sansal, calling for a “humanitarian attitude”. Frank-Walter Steinmeier has proposed that the author be transferred to Germany to “benefited from medical care (…) in view of his advanced age (…) and fragile state of health”.
In a long interview last September, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune mentioned the possibility of leaving for Germany at the end of 2025 or early 2026.
Arrested in Algiers on November 16, 2024, French-Algerian novelist and essayist Boualem Sansal was sentenced to five years in prison on appeal in July for arguing that Algeria inherited French colonial territory that previously belonged to Morocco.
Thursday, November 6, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, emphasized that Paris was leading the effort “demand dialogue” with Algeria to obtain the release of Boualem Sansal. The case occurs in the context of hostilities between Paris and Algeria, which have been entangled for more than a year in an unprecedented diplomatic crisis that has resulted in the expulsion of civil servants on both sides, the recall of ambassadors from both countries and restrictions on diplomatic visa holders.
Renew at 14:15. with additional context
