Press release of 27, March 2025
Five years in prison for Boualem Sansal
The verdict in the swift trial of the Algerian-French writer Boualem Sansal was announced today by the criminal court in Dar El Beïda, near Algiers. Sansal was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 500,000 Algerian dinars (around 3,500 euros). Sansal told the court that he had only exercised his freedom of expression.
PEN Berlin strongly condemns the trial and sentence and calls for the immediate release of the 80-year-old writer.
»According to the current coalition negotiations, Algeria is to be declared a safe third country«, said Deniz Yücel, spokesperson for PEN Berlin. »Algeria is not safe, least of all for people who dare to criticise those in power.«
Boualem Sansal has been harassed and threatened for some time for his uncompromising criticism of the Algerian regime and political Islam, which is why he moved to France last year. We appeal to the German government to take a firm stand for the writer and to do everything in its power to ensure his immediate release.
PEN Berlin. We stand by our word.