France Rejects Algeria’s Extradition Request for Former Minister Abdesselam Bouchouareb, Citing Health and Rights Concerns

Aix-en-Provence, March 19, 2025, 9:00 AM PDT – France’s judiciary has issued a final rejection of Algeria’s six extradition requests for Abdesselam Bouchouareb, a 72-year-old former Industry and Mines Minister under President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (2014–2017). The decision, made Wednesday by the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal’s investigation chamber, could further strain already tense diplomatic relations between Paris and Algiers, as reported by AFP and Le Monde.

Background of the Case

Since October 2023, Algeria has sought Bouchouareb’s extradition to face five 20-year prison sentences and a sixth case involving economic and financial crimes, stemming from corruption allegations tied to Bouteflika’s era. Living in the Alpes-Maritimes since 2019, Bouchouareb was forced into exile following the 2019 Hirak protests that ousted Bouteflika. Algeria claims he misappropriated public funds, but France’s judiciary has consistently blocked extradition, citing humanitarian concerns.

Judicial Ruling and Rationale

The Aix-en-Provence court ruled against extradition, invoking “exceptionally grave consequences” due to Bouchouareb’s age and frail health. The decision references Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights—“No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”—and Article 5 of the 2019 Franco-Algerian extradition treaty, which allows refusal if extradition risks severe harm, particularly due to health or age, per justice.gouv.fr.

Bouchouareb, visibly emotional and embraced by his daughter, told AFP post-hearing, “This is a moment of immense relief—I never doubted, as I’ve always trusted French justice.” His lawyer, Benjamin Bohbot, hailed the ruling as “logical, ending a baseless, rushed, and politically motivated procedure by Algerian authorities.” Bohbot argued Bouchouareb is a victim of post-Bouteflika purges, referencing the incarceration of former Prime Ministers Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, convicted alongside seven other Bouteflika-era ministers for corruption, per Al Jazeera’s 2023 report.

Prosecutorial and Defense Arguments

The court followed the prosecution’s March 5 recommendation, led by Attorney General Raphaël Sanesi de Gentile, who argued that deporting Bouchouareb, seriously ill, risked “a rapid and irreversible decline in his health, if not death,” as reported by Le Figaro. Algeria’s counsel, Anne-Sophie Partaix, countered on February 13 that Algerian authorities provided necessary judicial guarantees, insisting, “Bouchouareb stole from Algerians, was convicted, and must answer for his actions,” per France24.

Diplomatic Tensions

The ruling coincides with heightened Franco-Algerian friction, including Algeria’s refusal to repatriate nationals deemed dangerous, prompting French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to suspend the 2007 visa-free agreement for Algerian diplomatic passports on March 17, 2025, as reported by Euronews. Retailleau’s X post at 6:21 PM PDT stated, “France doesn’t want war with Algeria, but Algeria is aggressing us,” reflecting ongoing disputes, including the Mulhouse knife attack and Boualem Sansal’s detention.

Bohbot emphasized the decision was “unwavering in law, uninfluenced by current tensions,” but it risks exacerbating diplomatic strains, rooted in colonial history and recent geopolitical shifts, such as France’s July 2024 recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, per BBC News. Posts on X, like @FranceDiplo’s, praised the ruling’s legal basis, while @AlgeriePatriote condemned it as “interference.”

Regional Context

Bouchouareb’s case mirrors Algeria’s post-2019 anti-corruption drive, targeting Bouteflika loyalists, as detailed in a 2024 EN24 World report. Seven other ministers and two prime ministers have been convicted, but France’s refusal to extradite highlights its prioritization of human rights and health over diplomatic pressure, per Le Monde’s analysis.

As of 9:00 AM PDT, Algeria has not responded officially, but the decision could prompt further retaliation, such as visa restrictions or trade measures, per a March 2025 Carnegie Endowment forecast on North African diplomacy.