In a significant development, Algerian authorities have issued a pardon for the writer Boualem Sansal, paving the way for his release from prison and his transfer abroad for urgent medical care. The decision, announced by the Algerian presidency, responds to a direct appeal from Germany.
The 81-year-old author, who is battling prostate cancer, had been serving a five-year sentence on charges of undermining national unity. His arrest last year followed public comments he made regarding historical territorial disputes between Algeria and Morocco.
The case had become a focal point of international diplomatic tension. While previous appeals for clemency based on his age and health from other nations had been declined, Algeria’s statement specifically cited a “positive response” to the request from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The German leader had earlier framed a potential pardon as a humanitarian and politically wise gesture.
Observers note that the arrangement for Sansal to travel to Germany provides a resolution to a protracted diplomatic standoff. It allows for the writer’s release on medical grounds without being seen as a concession to other governments that had been critical of his imprisonment. The Algerian president himself received medical treatment in Germany several years ago.
Sansal, known for his critical writings on Algerian governance, had seen his detention draw appeals from a global community of literary figures calling for his freedom. His impending release and medical transfer bring to a close a chapter that had come to symbolize broader geopolitical strains.