Boualem Sansal, an 81-year-old French-Algerian writer, has been granted a pardon by the Algerian presidency almost a year after his arrest at Algiers airport. His release follows a direct appeal from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who has maintained good relations with Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Following the pardon, Sansal arrived in Germany on a military plane.
President Emmanuel Macron of France expressed gratitude to Tebboune for this decision, indicating that diplomatic efforts focused on respect and calm facilitated Sansal’s freedom. While France had been working to reduce tensions with Algeria over several months, it was Steinmeier’s involvement that appeared pivotal in securing the pardon. Steinmeier cited Sansal’s advanced age and health issues, including his treatment for prostate cancer, as factors for his request to Tebboune.
Sansal was sentenced to five years in prison in July 2022 for comments deemed to undermine national unity, specifically regarding Algeria’s borders. His history of criticizing the Algerian government had contributed to a strained relationship between Algeria and France, which worsened recently over various diplomatic tensions, including France’s support for Moroccan sovereignty in Western Sahara.
The diplomatic rift has escalated further following the arrest of an Algerian consular staff member in France related to a case involving a government critic. Observers noted that this crisis marked one of the most significant downturns in relations between the two nations since Algeria gained independence from France in 1962.
Although the political climate has been tense, changes in French political leadership, specifically the replacement of Bruno Retailleau with Laurent Nuñez as interior minister, have been interpreted by some as a step towards improved diplomatic relations. However, tensions continue, exemplified by the recent sentence of a French sportswriter for attempting to interview a member of a group classified as terrorist by Algeria. The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, has confirmed ongoing diplomatic efforts concerning this situation.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wlywx5vv3o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss