An Algerian appeals court has affirmed a five-year prison sentence for 80-year-old French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal, intensifying already strained ties with France. Sansal was convicted for comments made during an interview with a far-right French media outlet that Algeria claims challenged its territorial integrity. A fierce critic of both the Algerian government and Islamist groups, Sansal’s remarks about colonial-era borders echoed Moroccan claims, sparking outrage in Algiers. His November arrest and subsequent trial have drawn international backlash, with French intellectuals rallying to his defense. While France’s President Macron and Prime Minister Bayrou have urged clemency, citing Sansal’s poor health, Algeria remains firm. The case now stands as a symbol of worsening Franco-Algerian relations—and a test of political diplomacy.
France24
