French-Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal Sentenced to Five Years in Algeria

Sansal's imprisonment under anti-terrorism laws intensifies France-Algeria tensions and raises international concerns over freedom of expression.

Boualem Sansal was sentenced on March 27, 2025, to five years in prison and fined $3,735 for undermining Algeria's territorial integrity.
The charges stem from comments made in a 2024 interview with a far-right French outlet, where Sansal criticized Algeria's borders with Morocco, a politically sensitive topic.
French President Emmanuel Macron and global intellectuals have condemned the verdict, citing Sansal's fragile health due to cancer and calling for his release on humanitarian grounds.
The case has further strained relations between Algeria and France, already tense over France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Observers speculate that a presidential pardon may be possible during upcoming holidays, though no formal action has been announced.