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Rabat – Algerian author Boualem Sansal says he is determined to take Algeria’s President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to court.
The author, who was released from detention in Algeria in November, made his remarks during a panel at the Political Book Day held at the French National Assembly.
In his comments, Sansal said he wrote to the Algerian president while he was in prison.
“I told him… if you release me, I will take you to court. And I am going to sue Mr. Tebboune, because he is the one who condemned me,” Sansal said.
The author accused the Algerian regime of “sentencing me to death by piling everything on me,” including charges of terrorism, espionage, and undermining state security.
In 2025, Algeria’s regime sentenced Sansal to five years in prison after detaining him for over a year due to his critical positions on the Algerian government.
Speaking to AFP, Sansal said his lawyer has prepared a file to bring the case before international justice against Tebboune, adding that the procedure is underway.
He said he was waiting for the right moment, recalling a similar case involving sports journalist Christophe Gleizes, who has been jailed in Algeria since May 2024.
The French sports journalist was sentenced to seven years in prison for alleged “advocacy of terrorism.”
Sansal said he is determined to “go all the way.”
He added that he did not have a “real trial, with lawyers and international observers.”
Sansal was freed only after mounting pressure on Algeria’s regime from EU countries, including France, to release the prominent writer.
Earlier this year, the Algerian-French writer repeated that he intends to take legal action against Algeria.
“I feel like everyone was pushing me to accept the situation by talking about geostrategic considerations, but I don’t care about any of that. This is about me, my wife, my friends, and I want to fight,” he said.
Algeria has long been under scrutiny for using espionage and terrorism charges against critics and journalists voicing concerns over its actions, including silencing dissenting voices.
