Event Summary
On 12 November 2025, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune pardoned Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who had been detained since November 2024 and sentenced on 27 March 2025 to five years in prison for “undermining state security” and “national unity.” The Algerian presidency stated the pardon followed a humanitarian appeal by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, citing Sansal’s advanced age (81) and poor health. Under the agreement, Germany will cover his transfer and medical care. Sansal was released, moved to Berlin, and later traveled to France. Indeed, this positive outcome is worth recognition as it slightly reduces the number of jailed activists and offers a precedent for international engagement.
This case unfolds amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Algeria, France, and the European Union, fueled by historical disputes and disagreements over Western Sahara. While the pardon offers a humanitarian and diplomatic resolution, it does not alter the restrictive legal framework that enabled Sansal’s conviction. The episode underscores the vulnerability of writers and activists under broad security laws and signals persistent risks to freedom of expression. Such selective clemency—dependent on international intervention—raises concerns about unequal protections and deepens uncertainty for civil society actors, eroding trust in domestic legal safeguards and reinforcing a climate of repression. In addition, it is critical to emphasize that this remains an isolated case amid a broader pattern of repression. The enabling environment for civil society continues to deteriorate, with systemic misuse of security laws and escalating restrictions on fundamental freedoms.