Boualem Sansal, pardoned in November 2025 by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune after approximately a year in detention, declared in Paris on Saturday that he intends to take legal action against the Algerian head of state. The Franco-Algerian writer was participating in the Political Book Day, organized at the National Assembly, where he was invited to a roundtable discussion with lawyer Richard Malka on the theme "The political book, a source of commitment".
A publicly acknowledged legal threat
In front of the public, Boualem Sansal recounted how he had warned Abdelmadjid Tebboune of his intentions while he was still in prison. “I wrote (…) to Abdelmadjid Tebboune when I was in prison (…), I told him (…) if you release me, I will sue you. And I will sue Mr. Tebboune, because he is the one who convicted me.”he said, before being interrupted by applause from the audience.
"They sentenced me to death."
The 81-year-old author then denounced the nature of the charges that had been brought against him. "They sentenced me to death, pinning all sorts of things on me: terrorism, espionage, attacking state security..."he stated. Boualem Sansal had been sentenced to five years in prison in Algeria and detained for almost a year because of critical stances taken about his native country.
An international procedure already underway
When questioned after his speech, the writer clarified that "The procedure has begun.". "My lawyer has prepared a case to take Abdelmadjid Tebboune to international justice."he added, while explaining that he preferred "Wait for the right moment."
The Christophe Gleizes case is impacting the schedule
Boualem Sansal linked this caution to the situation of sports journalist Christophe Gleizes, detained in Algeria since May 2024 and sentenced to seven years in prison for "apology for terrorism." The writer suggested that this context influenced the timing of taking the case further in the legal arena.
"I'm going to go all the way."
Determined, Boualem Sansal asserted: "I'm going to go all the way."He also felt he had not benefited "a real trial, with lawyers and international observers"With this statement, the writer publicly revives a case that has become highly sensitive on legal, diplomatic and political levels.
This case has become a source of tension between Algiers and Paris.
The arrest of Boualem Sansal, his conviction, and then his pardon sparked numerous reactions in intellectual, diplomatic, and human rights circles. His case gradually took on a dimension that extended beyond the purely legal sphere, fueling tensions between Algeria and France.
The writer's release was finally confirmed in November 2025, as part of a presidential pardon granted by Abdelmadjid Tebboune after nearly a year of imprisonment. This decision marked a major turning point in a case closely followed both in France and abroad.
