Franco-Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal Launches Hunger Strike Amidst Unjust Incarceration
Boualem Sansal, the renowned Franco-Algerian writer, has commenced a hunger strike in protest against his unjust imprisonment in Algeria since mid-November. His lawyer, François Zimeray, confirmed the news to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on February 23rd, citing information from a judicial source.
Concerns for Health and Fair Trial
Zimeray expressed deep concern for Sansal’s health and the likelihood of a fair trial. "I am worried for his health, as well as the very possibility of a fair trial," he stated, corroborating a report by the Journal du Dimanche. Zimeray also revealed that Sansal’s prescribed medical treatment had been discontinued.
According to Zimeray, who has been denied a visa to travel to Algeria to see his client, Sansal made the decision to go on hunger strike "due to the pressures exerted on him to change lawyers."
"Neither the moderation in the expression of his defense, nor the restraint in the face of the abject campaign that I have suffered in certain Algerian media, nor the respect for the judicial framework of this country seem to have been appreciated by a regime that persists in refusing me a visa without valid reason, depriving Boualem Sansal of the defense of his choice," Zimeray emphasized.
Political Persecution for Criticisms of Algerian Regime
Sansal, a vocal critic of the Algerian regime, author of "The Barbaric Oath" and "2084: The End of the World," was arrested at the Algiers airport on November 16th. He has been charged under Article 87a of the penal code, which criminalizes "as a terrorist or subversive act any act targeting the security of the State, the integrity of the territory, the stability and normal functioning of the institutions."
As reported by Le Monde, the Algerian authorities may have taken offense at Sansal’s statements to the French media outlet Frontières, known for its far-right ideology. In those remarks, Sansal echoed Morocco’s position that its territory was truncated under French colonization to benefit Algeria.
Personal History and Age Discrepancy
For many years, Sansal claimed to have been born in 1949, which would make him 75 years old today. However, his publisher, Antoine Gallimard, announced in December that Sansal was actually born in 1944 and was therefore 80 years of age.
International Condemnation and Support
Sansal’s imprisonment has drawn condemnation from numerous intellectuals and writers, who denounce the charges as baseless. On Tuesday, a rally in support of the imprisoned writer was organized by the Institut du Monde Arabe and Editions Gallimard in Paris.
