Overview
- The Algerian presidency said Abdelmadjid Tebboune approved Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s request, with Germany covering Sansal’s transfer and medical care.
- The 81-year-old, who is being treated for prostate cancer, left custody after roughly a year and arrived in Germany on Wednesday night for treatment.
- Sansal was arrested on November 16, 2024 and received a five-year sentence, upheld on July 1, for “undermining national unity” following public remarks about territorial history.
- French leaders expressed relief as diplomatic contacts with Algiers begin to reopen, including an invitation for Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to visit Algeria.
- Focus now shifts to other detainees, notably French journalist Christophe Gleizes, whose appeal is scheduled for December 3 after a seven-year sentence in June.