Algeria: Prosecutors Seek 10-Year Prison Sentence for Franco-Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal

Algiers, March 20, 2025, 11:15 AM PDT – On Thursday, the prosecutor at the Dar El Beida court near Algiers requested a 10-year prison sentence for Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who has been detained since November 16, 2024, upon arriving at Algiers airport. Sansal faces charges of undermining Algeria’s territorial integrity, among other accusations, according to Algerian media outlets like Echorouk and TSA, as reported on X by @AlgerieActualite and Le Monde.

Details of the Case

The trial, which has drawn significant attention, stems from Sansal’s alleged statements and publications deemed threatening to Algeria’s national security and unity. The charges include “undermining national unity, insulting constituted bodies, engaging in practices harmful to the national economy, and possessing videos and publications endangering the country’s security and stability,” per the prosecution’s filing, as cited by TSA. A verdict is expected on March 27, 2025, according to the same sources.

Sansal, aged 80, was arrested at Algiers airport under Article 87 bis of Algeria’s penal code, which criminalizes threats to state security, as detailed in a November 2024 Le Monde report. His detention has sparked outrage in France, where he holds citizenship, with President Emmanuel Macron expressing “deep concern” in December 2024, per France24. Posts on X, like @ReportersSansFron’s, have rallied support for Sansal, labeling his prosecution a “political witch hunt.”

Triggering Statements and Diplomatic Tensions

The case escalated after Sansal’s October 2024 interview with the French far-right outlet Frontières, where he echoed Morocco’s claim that its territory was diminished under French colonial rule to benefit Algeria, per Le Monde. This position, aligning with Morocco’s “Greater Morocco” thesis, angered Algerian authorities, who see it as undermining their territorial integrity, as noted in a February 2025 Al Jazeera analysis on Algeria-Morocco rivalry.

The affair has become a flashpoint in deteriorating Franco-Algerian relations, strained since Macron’s July 2024 recognition of a Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a territory’s status remains disputed by the UN, per en.wikipedia.org. Algeria recalled its ambassador from Paris, and tensions have deepened over issues like visa policies and the detention of Algerian nationals in France, as reported by Euronews in March 2025.

International and Regional Context

Sansal, a prominent critic of Algeria’s regime and author of novels like 2084: The End of the World (2015), has long faced harassment, as detailed in Reporters Without Borders’ 2023 report. His arrest and the 10-year sentence request follow a pattern of targeting dissent under President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, with seven other Bouteflika-era officials convicted for corruption since 2019, per The Africa Report (2024).

France has called for Sansal’s release, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on X urging respect for his rights, per Le Figaro. Posts on X, such as @FranceDiplo’s, highlight growing friction, while @AlgeriePatriote defends the prosecution, accusing Sansal of treason. Web results, like en.yabiladi.com (November 2024), suggest his comments on Eastern Sahara and the Polisario Front further provoked Algiers, aligning with Moroccan narratives.

Legal and Political Implications

If convicted, Sansal could face life imprisonment under Article 87 bis, but the 10-year request signals a targeted punishment, per TSA. His lawyer, not named in reports, has not commented publicly, but French legal experts on X, like @DroitFrance, argue the case violates free speech under international law. The verdict on March 27 could escalate tensions, potentially prompting France to impose sanctions or visa curbs, as hinted by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau in March 2025, per Politico.eu.

As of 11:15 AM PDT, Algeria has not responded to international criticism, but the case risks further isolating Algiers diplomatically, amid its rivalry with Morocco and strained ties with France, per a March 2025 Carnegie Endowment analysis on North African geopolitics.