Algeria blasts European Parliament for condemning arrest of French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal

Algerian lawmakers have condemned the European Parliament for a resolution criticizing the arrest of French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal.

Lawmakers from both chambers of the North African nation's parliament have signed a statement rebuking the European Parliament's resolution for “misleading allegations with the sole aim of launching a blatant attack against Algeria.” They accused the European Parliament of political inference and cast doubt on whether their motivations had to do with Sansal's well-being or “harming the image of Algeria.” 

Sansal was arrested at Algiers airport on 16 November and has been imprisoned in Algeria on national security charges. Since his arrest, the author's cause has been taken up by European writers, artists and politicians, particularly those sympathetic to his criticism of Islam.

Earlier this month, President Macron accused Algeria of "disgracing itself" by imprisoning the 75-year-old writer, who is a strong critic of the Algerian government.

"Algeria, which we love so much and with which we share so many children and so many stories, is dishonoring itself by preventing a seriously ill man from receiving treatment," Macron said in a speech to French ambassadors at the Elysée Palace. "And we who love the people of Algeria and its history urge its government to release Boualem Sansal," he added.

He described Sansal as a "freedom fighter," saying he was being held "in a totally arbitrary manner" by the Algerian authorities.

Sansal has been charged with violating an anti-terrorism statute that rights groups say Algeria uses to target activists and dissidents and quiet criticism of the government.

In mid-December, the Gallimard editing house said Sansal had been hospitalized, raising fears about the writer's health in detention.

The author is among several imprisoned writers mentioned in the European Parliament’s resolution last week, which also references journalist Abdelwakil Blamm and poet Mohamed Tadjadit.

The back-and-forth mirrors similar spats between Europe and nations that were once colonized by some members of the 27-nation bloc and see such criticism as paternalistic.

In 2023, Moroccan lawmakers blasted the European Parliament for passing a resolution that implored Morocco to respect press freedoms and grant fair trials to three imprisoned journalists.