Algeria Rejects French Request for Consular Visit to Boualem Sansal

Algeria has categorically rejected a request from French consular authorities to visit Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who has been imprisoned since mid-December. The refusal underscores Algeria’s firm stance against any French interference in the case.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, in an interview with “Sud Radio” on Tuesday, confirmed that Algerian authorities had declined the consular request. He also disclosed that Sansal, who had been hospitalized for treatment, was recently discharged and returned to prison, as informed by his wife.

This decision reflects the delicate nature of the case, amid already strained relations between France and Algeria. Algeria insists that Sansal, despite holding French nationality granted by President Emmanuel Macron, is primarily an Algerian citizen.

Sansal was arrested on November 16 upon his return from Paris following controversial statements made on a French platform. He claimed that parts of Algeria once belonged to Morocco and that the country lacked any established entity before French colonization.

Known for his pro-Israel stance and past visits to Tel Aviv, Sansal faces charges under Article 87 bis of Algeria’s Penal Code. These include spreading misinformation, undermining national unity, and making statements deemed threatening to Algeria’s territorial integrity, categorized as acts of terrorism or subversion.

On December 29, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune publicly criticized Sansal, calling him a “thief” and “an individual of unknown identity and parentage,” in response to his controversial remarks. However, this segment was omitted from televised rebroadcasts due to the backlash it generated.

Sansal’s detention has heightened tensions between Algiers and Paris, particularly after President Macron called for his release. Additionally, a motion of condemnation against Algeria by right-wing MPs in the European Parliament was ignored by Algiers, prompting the Algerian Parliament to issue a counter-resolution criticizing the European initiative.