The recent arrest of Boualem Sansal, Algerian writer, has sparked a wave of indignation. Arrested on November 16 at Algiers airport, the renowned intellectual has been detained since without official explanation.
Faced with this situation, Christian Estrosi sent a letter this Thursday to Emmanuel Macron to denounce an arrest which he describes as“unjustified” et “obviously motivated by political considerations linked to the intellectual activity of Boualem Sansal”.
The mayor of Nice underlines that this detention constitutes a serious attack on freedom of expression and fundamental human rights, while calling for personal intervention by the Head of State with the Algerian authorities to obtain the immediate release of the author .
Named honorary citizen
The arrest of Boualem Sansal particularly resonates in Nice, where the writer was honorary president of the last Book Festival last June. He was also scheduled to speak on November 28 during the Culture and Ecological Transition Forum for a sustainable Mediterraneanorganized at the Raoul Mille Library.
In parallel with his letter to Emmanuel Macron, Christian Estrosi also announced the appointment of Boualem Sansal as an honorary citizen of the City of Nice. A distinction which, according to the mayor, demonstrates the city's recognition of the writer's work and commitments.
A ceremony on November 28
An official award ceremony for this distinction will take place on Thursday, November 28, at 6:30 p.m., in place of the conference initially planned. “If unfortunately Boualem Sansal could not be among us, the ceremony will nevertheless be held, to demonstrate our solidarity and our unwavering commitment to him”specified Christian Estrosi in a press release published today.
The mayor of Nice also calls on artists and cultural actors to mobilize to denounce this unjust arrest. “International solidarity is essential to defend freedom of expression and protect those who exemplify courage and integrity,” he says.
