French Journalist Marks 500 Days in Algerian Prison as Family Seeks Executive Pardon

French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes has marked 500 days of detention in Algeria, where he is serving a seven-year sentence on charges related to terrorism. His family and supporters are directing appeals to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, stating that a presidential pardon represents the primary remaining avenue for his release.

Gleizes, who writes for the French publications So Foot and Society, was detained by Algerian authorities in May 2024. A court sentenced him in June 2025 for glorifying terrorism and possessing material intended to harm national interests, a conviction that was confirmed on appeal in December of the same year.

The prosecution centered in part on Gleizes entering the country on a tourist visa rather than securing journalistic accreditation. Investigators also cited his communications with an official from the Jeunesse sportive de Kabylie football club who belonged to the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie, an entity Algeria classified as a terrorist organisation in 2021. According to the media rights organisation Reporters Without Borders, evidence showed that the majority of those exchanges occurred between 2015 and 2017, prior to the group's legal designation, with only administrative contacts taking place in 2024.

The case has drawn attention from international sports figures and press freedom advocates. Former footballer Zinédine Zidane expressed public support for the reporter, while International Football Federation President Gianni Infantino kept a symbolic vacant seat for Gleizes ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Family members reported receiving permission to visit the journalist approximately once every three months, subject to visa approvals by Algerian authorities.

The detention has unfolded against a backdrop of diplomatic friction between Paris and Algiers. Relations deteriorated in July 2024 after France recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, prompting Algeria to recall its ambassador from Paris. Although bilateral talks and high-level visits resumed in 2025 to discuss judicial, security, and migration matters, the status of Gleizes remains a point of negotiation between both governments.

Written by Freya Stensrud freya.stensrud@alpineweekly.com