Arrest of Boualem Sansal in Algeria: a response from the Algerian regime to its declarations on the authentic historical borders of Morocco?

Rachid Maboudi
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3.53pm – November 21, 2024

The Algerian novelist and essayist Boualem Sansal, known for his harsh criticism of the political regime in place in Algeria, was reportedly arrested in Algiers according to information reported by his direct entourage and French media. This disappearance, which occurred since his arrival in Algiers on Saturday November 16, raises many concerns, especially since the writer had given no sign of life to his loved ones or to his publisher, Gallimard. The affair takes on an all the more worrying turn as Mr. Sansal (75 years old) is a major intellectual figure and a critical voice of the Algerian regime, which makes him a potential target of the authorities.

This alleged arrest comes in a context where Mr. Sansal has recently made particularly sensitive public statements. During an interview broadcast by the online channel Bordersthe author of 2084: the end of the world discussed thorny historical and geopolitical topics, including French colonization and border tensions between Algeria and Morocco. Mr. Sansal affirmed that France, during its colonization of Algeria, had arbitrarily attached Moroccan territories to Algeria, such as Tlemcen, Oran and Biskra. This decision, according to him, would be at the origin of persistent historical disputes between the two countries.

In the same interview, Sansal also criticized Algeria for its role in the creation and support of the Polisario Front, calling this move an attempt to destabilize Morocco within a communist ideological framework supported by Moscow. He further accused the Algerian regime, which he describes as military, of maintaining constant hostility towards the Cherifian kingdom fueled by historical and political considerations.

Resounding exit

These statements, particularly critical of the Algerian regime and its historical heritage, could have accelerated the action of the authorities against the writer who has lived in France for decades. While Mr. Sansal enjoys international notoriety and recognition for his literary work and his courageous positions, his outspokenness has often been perceived as an affront by Algerian leaders, especially since the early 2020s.

The silence of the Algerian authorities on this matter only amplifies concerns. According to Le Figarothe French diplomatic representations in Algiers – the embassy and the consulate – would also try to obtain information on the situation of the writer, who has French nationality.