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Algerian court upholds 7-year jail term for French journalist Christophe Gleizes
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 4 December 2025 | JP Middle East Desk
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The Algerian court confirmed a seven-year sentence for French journalist Christophe Gleizes, convicted for glorifying terrorism. The ruling has sparked criticism from rights groups and diplomatic protests from France.Summary
TIZI OUZOU, Algeria — A court of appeal in Tizi Ouzou on December 3, 2025, upheld a seven-year prison sentence against French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes. The conviction stems from his June 2025 original sentencing for “glorifying terrorism” and “possessing publications harmful to national interests” after reporting on the prominent football club JS Kabylie (JSK) in the Kabylia region.
Gleizes, a contributor to the French magazines So Foot and Society, was arrested on May 28, 2024, under a tourist visa while researching the club’s history, assignments considered standard in sports journalism. The charges relate to interviews with individuals linked to the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), a group classified as a terrorist organization by Algerian authorities in 2021.
The appeal ruling dashed hopes for clemency, prompting condemnation from press-freedom advocates. The rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the verdict as “outrageous,” saying Gleizes was punished simply for doing his job as a journalist.
The decision also provoked a diplomatic reaction: the foreign ministry of France formally criticised the judgment and renewed calls for Gleizes’s release on consular grounds, reiterating its commitment to global freedom of the press.
Observers warn that the verdict may deepen self-censorship among foreign and local journalists covering sensitive political or cultural issues in Algeria, especially in regions like Kabylia. The case underscores how anti-terrorism statutes can be used to stifle reporting and chill independent journalism.
ATTRIBUTION: Reporting based on public statements by RSF, French Foreign Ministry, and court records via AFP, Reuters, and Associated Press coverage
PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only
Key Points
- Christophe Gleizes received a seven-year prison sentence for glorifying terrorism.
- The conviction followed his reporting on the JS Kabylie football club.
- Rights group RSF condemned the ruling, calling it politically motivated.
- France's foreign ministry criticized the decision and sought Gleizes's release.
- The case raises concerns about the use of anti-terror laws to stifle journalism.
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