Overview

• Boualem Sansal, a Franco-Algerian writer, was sentenced to five years in prison for comments deemed to undermine Algeria's territorial integrity.
• Sansal's remarks, made in a far-right French media outlet, suggested France unfairly ceded Moroccan territory to Algeria during the colonial era, echoing Moroccan claims.
• French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Sansal's release on humanitarian grounds, citing his cancer diagnosis and fragile health.
• The case has intensified strained relations between Algeria and France, already complicated by France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2023.
• Algerian President Tebboune has hinted at potential diplomatic resolution, but no immediate steps have been taken to address the escalating tensions.