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ALGIERS, 2 July 2025 — A court in Algeria has sentenced French journalist Christophe Gleizes to seven years in prison on charges of “glorifying terrorism” and “possessing propaganda publications harmful to the national interest”, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The conviction has sparked international condemnation and renewed concerns over Algeria’s deteriorating press freedom environment.
Gleizes, a contributor to French outlets So Foot and Society, was arrested on May 28, 2024, in the northern city of Tizi Ouzou after conducting an interview with the president of football club JS Kabylie. Authorities claim the interview subject had links to the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK) — an organization Algeria designated as a terrorist group in 2021. Gleizes’ arrest remained undisclosed until his sentencing on June 29.
“Sentencing French journalist Christophe Gleizes to seven years in prison on terrorism charges over an interview is a clear indication of the government’s intolerance of press freedom,” said Sara Qudah, CPJ’s regional director. The CPJ is calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs described the sentence as “harsh” and confirmed it has requested consular access to Gleizes.
This latest case is part of what rights groups describe as a deepening campaign to stifle dissent in Algeria. In April 2025, Amnesty International called for the release of Mohamed Tadjadit, a poet and activist serving a five-year prison term for poems and social media posts critical of the state. Amnesty labeled the charges politically motivated and urged authorities to end the criminalization of peaceful expression.
Human Rights Watch has also highlighted an increasing number of arbitrary travel bans imposed on activists and government critics — often without formal charges or legal justification.
Just this week, the Algiers Court of Appeal upheld a five-year prison sentence for Boualem Sansal, a prominent French-Algerian novelist and outspoken critic of the regime, on charges of threatening “state security.”
Algeria’s global press freedom ranking continues to slide. Rights advocates warn that journalists, writers, and public intellectuals are increasingly targeted under broad national security laws — chilling freedom of expression and closing the space for independent reporting.
Excerpts from Kareem Assaf article on jurist.com | Nottingham Law School, GB
