The Algerian Supreme Court has rejected the appeal filed by the public prosecutor's office in the case Christophe GleizesThis decision brings to an end the legal proceedings concerning the French sports journalist. detained in Algeria For a year now, the Supreme Court has been removing the last obstacle to a possible presidential pardon. In a ruling issued on May 25, the court definitively ruled on the remaining appeals. It acknowledged the withdrawal of the appeal filed by Christophe Gleizes and rejected on its merits the appeal filed by the public prosecutor's office. The 36-year-old journalist had himself withdrawn his appeal to the Court of Cassation in March. The Attorney General's appeal thus constituted the last legal hurdle before a pardon could be considered.
The legal proceedings are now over.
With the Supreme Court's decision, the legal debate is over. Christophe Gleizes no longer has any recourse before the Algerian courts, and the prosecution can no longer challenge the decision within the framework of this procedure. His future now rests with the President. A pardon is currently the only possibility of obtaining his release without having to serve his sentence. His lawyers, Amirouche Bakouri and Emmanuel Daoud, have requested that a presidential pardon be granted as soon as possible. They hope for a swift and humane resolution to a case that has dragged on for over a year.
Arrested while working on Algerian football
Christophe Gleizes was arrested in May 2024 while preparing an article about Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie, one of the most well-known clubs in Algerian football. The sports journalist was initially placed under judicial supervision before being detained. Since his arrest, his family and support committee have been demanding his release.
"The only way out" for Christophe Gleizes and his family
The end of the legal proceedings now paves the way for a presidential pardon. For the journalist's supporters, this decision represents the only way out of the human tragedy experienced by Christophe Gleizes and his loved ones. Thibaut Bruttin, director general of Reporters Without Borders and head of the support committee, called for a swift decision. With the World Cup kicking off on June 11 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, just days away, he believes it is essential that Christophe Gleizes be reunited with his family and resume his role in the press box at stadiums.
