Overview
- Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune granted a humanitarian pardon after a request from Germany’s President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier, enabling Sansal’s release and transfer to Berlin for medical care.
- Macron’s office said the writer was received at the Élysée, with the French president expressing thanks to Steinmeier for a decisive role in the outcome.
- Sansal had been imprisoned for about a year after a conviction under Algeria’s anti‑terrorism laws and a five‑year sentence for undermining national unity and insulting public institutions.
- His support committee confirmed the return to France and noted he had been staying at the French ambassador’s residence in Berlin while undergoing medical treatment.
- French officials signal interest in restarting cooperation with Algiers as tensions persist, and the case of detained journalist Christophe Gleizes remains pending with an appeal hearing set for December 3.