Palestinian ‘Happy Holidays’ movie wins Marrakech International Film Festival’s top prize
The 21st annual Marrakech International Film Festival concluded this weekend with the awarding of the festival’s main prizes, with
Prominent French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal has reportedly been detained on charges related to national security after his arrest earlier this month.
Sansal stands accused of breaching the Algerian penal code, which sanctions “all attacks on state security,” his French lawyer, François Zimeray, told the AFP.
Zimeray stated that Sansal was interrogated by anti-terrorism prosecutors, asserting that his detention was tied to the content of his literary works.
Sansal, who was granted French citizenship this year, is a vocal critic of authoritarianism and a strong supporter of free speech. Sansal’s writings often address themes of political oppression and warn against the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. His outspoken views have earned him acclaim in some circles, particularly within right-leaning and far-right media in France.
Sansal was arrested on November 16th at Algiers airport upon returning from France.
His detention occurs amid rising tensions between Algeria and France, following France's decision to back Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara—a move that has drawn ire from the Algerian government, which supports the region’s separatist movement.
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