An Algerian court has upheld a five-year prison sentence against Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal over comments deemed harmful to national integrity, further straining diplomatic ties with France and raising concerns over free speech.
An Algerian court on Tuesday upheld a five-year prison sentence against dual-national author Boualem Sansal, whose case has strained ties with France.
Sansal, 80, was first sentenced to five years behind bars on March 27 on charges related to undermining Algeria's territorial integrity over comments made to a French media outlet.
The appeals court confirmed the sentence after prosecutors sought to double his jail term, an AFP journalist reported from the hearing.
Sansal was informed he has eight days to file a further appeal before Algeria's supreme court.
His newly appointed French lawyer, Pierre Cornut-Gentille, said he would consult with his client before deciding whether to pursue another legal challenge.
Following the verdict, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said he hoped Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebbone would grant Sansal a pardon.
"Now that the sentence has been handed down, we can imagine pardon measures, particularly in view of our compatriot's health, will be taken," said Bayrou, calling the situation "unacceptable".
The French foreign ministry meanwhile condemned the decision to uphold his sentence, calling it "incomprehensible and unjustified".
French President Emmanuel Macron has also urged Tebboune to show "mercy and humanity" to the author.
Some of Sansal's relatives have voiced hope he could be pardoned on Saturday, the 63rd anniversary of Algeria's independence.
A prize-winning figure in North African modern francophone literature, Sansal is known for his criticism of Algerian authorities as well as of Islamists.
The case against him arose after he told the far-right outlet Frontieres that France had unjustly transferred Moroccan territory to Algeria during the colonial period from 1830 to 1962 - a claim Algeria views as a challenge to its sovereignty and that aligns with longstanding Moroccan territorial assertions.
Sansal was detained in November 2024 upon arrival at Algiers airport. On March 27, a court in Dar El Beida sentenced him to a five-year prison term and fined him 500,000 Algerian dinars ($3,730).
Appearing in court without legal counsel on June 24, Sansal said the case against him "makes no sense" as "the Algerian constitution guarantees freedom of expression and conscience".
He defended his remarks by citing the African Union's post-independence declaration that colonial borders should remain inviolable.
When questioned about his writings, Sansal asked: "Are we holding a trial over literature? Where are we headed?"
Diplomatic Rift
Sansal's family has expressed fears prison could jeopardize his health, noting he is receiving treatment for prostate cancer.
Authorities in the North African country maintain that due process is being respected.
Commenting on his health on Tuesday, Cornut-Gentille said he saw Sansal a day earlier and that "he is fine".
The writer's conviction further strained already tense France-Algeria relations, which have been complicated by issues such as migration and Macron's recent recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a disputed territory claimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.
Last month, the French National Assembly passed a resolution calling for Sansal's immediate release and linking future EU-Algeria cooperation to respect for human rights.
While his case has become a cause celebre in France, among Algerians his past support for Israel has made him unpopular with a large segment of the population who back the Palestinian cause.
Sansal had faced charges including "undermining national unity", "insulting state institutions", "harming the national economy", and "possessing media and publications threatening the country's security and stability".
His daughters, Nawel and Sabeha, told AFP in May they felt "a sense of total helplessness" over their father's imprisonment "simply for expressing an opinion".
"Enough is enough. The Algerian authorities must now understand that France defends its citizens," said the president of Sansal's support committee, Noelle Lenoir, in an interview Tuesday.
"We are outraged by the attitude of the Algerian government, which has nothing to gain - neither at the European level nor in its relations with France."
With AFP
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