Algiers: The Federal President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has formally requested that the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, make a humanitarian gesture by granting a pardon to writer Boualem Sansal, who has been detained for a year, according to a statement issued Monday by the Presidency of the Republic.
According to Algeria Press Service, the request highlights Boualem Sansal’s advanced age and fragile health, with an additional proposal from the German President suggesting that Sansal be allowed to travel to Germany for medical care. The statement noted that Sansal, an Algerian and French citizen and recipient of the German Book Trade Peace Prize, was sentenced on appeal in Algeria to a prison term and a fine on July 1, 2025.
“I have asked my Algerian counterpart to pardon Boualem Sansal. Such a gesture would be an expression of humanitarian spirit and great political foresight. It would reflect the long-standing personal relationship I have with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, as well as the excellent relations between our two countries,” remarked the German President.