Global Outcry Grows Over Algerian Arrest of Author Boualem Sansal

The Franco-Algerian writer's detention raises concerns about freedom of expression and intensifies tensions between Algeria and France.

Boualem Sansal, a 75-year-old Franco-Algerian writer and outspoken critic of Islamism, was detained by Algerian authorities on November 16 at the Algiers airport under unclear circumstances.
Prominent authors, including Salman Rushdie, Annie Ernaux, and Wole Soyinka, have joined calls for his immediate release, citing the broader crackdown on free expression in Algeria.
The Algerian government has accused Sansal of undermining national sovereignty, referencing his comments on Algeria's borders and history, which have sparked controversy domestically.
French officials, including President Emmanuel Macron, have expressed concern, while the French literary community has proposed electing Sansal to the Académie Française as a symbolic act of support.
The arrest has drawn mixed reactions in media and political circles, with some defending Sansal's right to free speech and others criticizing his ideological positions.