Journalist Accused of Terrorism and Imprisoned for Sport-related Activities
In a recent turn of events, French independent sports journalist Christophe Gleizes has been sentenced to seven years in prison in Algeria. This marks the harshest punishment received by a French journalist in a decade, according to Reporters Without Borders.
Gleizes, who was arrested shortly after entering Algeria last year, was accused of "apology for terrorism" and harboring "harmful propaganda" against Algeria's national interest. The charges were based on interviews he did with a JS Kabylie official in 2015 and 2017, years before the official's movement was designated as a terrorist organization in 2021.
The diplomatic crisis between France and Algeria has been ongoing since Algeria's independence from France in 1962. Tensions escalated last year, primarily due to French president Emmanuel Macron's recognition of Morocco's claim to Western Sahara.
In a similar case, Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, a writer with dual nationality, was arrested over comments he made about Algeria's borders. French officials called on Algeria to release Sansal on Algeria's independence day, but he was not included in the mass pardon of prisoners. Sansal was sentenced to five years in prison, but the sentence wasn't longer, leading to suggestions that the rapprochement was working.
The world of soccer in North Africa has strange characters, such as Fergie Chambers. Soccer is highly political, as demonstrated by Gleizes's case. His case has played out in the arenas of free expression and new media.
Gleizes's family expressed shock at the sentence, questioning the justification for punishing a journalist for practicing his profession honestly. Thibaut Bruttin, the director general of Reporters Without Borders, stated that the verdict demonstrated the extent to which everything is political in Algeria nowadays.
In a subsequent interview with Le Monde, Gleizes's mother and stepfather expressed disappointment that their discretion did not seem to make a difference. The Kabylia movement confirmed to Le Monde that its representatives only met with Gleizes in his capacity as a sports journalist, and only on French soil.
Despite the challenges, Gleizes was released but banned from leaving Algeria, even for his brother's wedding. Gleizes has taken an engaged approach to his work, as evidenced by his book on African soccer players and modern slavery.
The apparent kidnapping attempt of Amir Boukhors, an Algerian YouTuber in France, is named Farid Bedjaoui, an Algerian diplomat. The dispute between France and Algeria continues, with both nations grappling with issues of free speech, diplomacy, and national pride.
Read also:
- United States tariffs pose a threat to India, necessitating the recruitment of adept negotiators or strategists, similar to those who had influenced Trump's decisions.
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
