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Algiers, July 2025 – French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes, 36, has been sentenced to seven years in prison by a court in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, on charges of “glorifying terrorism” and “possessing publications for propaganda purposes harmful to national interests.” The verdict, handed down on 29 June, marks the harshest sentence for a French journalist in over a decade, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
📍 Background and Arrest
Gleizes, a contributor to So Foot and Society magazines, traveled to Algeria in May 2024 to report on the legacy of Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie (JSK), a prominent football club, and to conduct interviews with local sports figures. He was arrested on 28 May 2024 and placed under a judicial control order, including a travel ban that kept him in Algeria for over a year.
The charges stem from Gleizes’ contact with a football club official who is also affiliated with the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK)—designated a terrorist organization by Algerian authorities in 2021. However, RSF notes that Gleizes’ initial interactions with the individual occurred in 2015 and 2017, well before the designation, and his 2024 contact was part of his reporting assignment.
🗣️ Condemnation and Calls for Action
RSF has denounced the conviction as “nonsensical” and politically motivated. Director General Thibaut Bruttin stated, “Nothing justifies imprisoning a journalist for reporting trustworthy news. Christophe Gleizes is behind bars simply for doing his job”.
Gleizes’ employer, So Foot, and his family have expressed shock and outrage, calling for diplomatic intervention and public support. RSF has launched an international petition demanding his immediate release.
🌍 Diplomatic and Press Freedom Implications
The case unfolds amid strained Franco-Algerian relations, with tensions over migration, trade, and geopolitical issues such as Western Sahara. Press freedom organizations warn that Gleizes’ sentencing reflects a broader crackdown on independent journalism in Algeria, where over 240 prisoners of conscience remain detained.
Gleizes is expected to appeal the verdict, with proceedings likely to begin in October.
For more details and to support the petition, visit RSF’s official campaign page.
