Latest news with #ChristopheGleizes
Bloomberg
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Algeria Jails French Football Reporter for Seven Years
By and Samy Adghirni Updated on Save Algeria jailed a French sports journalist for seven years on charges of 'glorifying terrorism,' amid a simmering feud between the North African nation and its former colonial rulers. Christophe Gleizes, 36, was sentenced by a court in the eastern Kabylie region on Sunday, advocacy group Reporters Sans Frontieres said in a statement condemning the decision. He will lodge an appeal.
LeMonde
6 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
French sports journalist sentenced to seven years in prison in Algeria
On Tuesday, July 1, the Algiers Court of Appeal will deliver its ruling regarding the French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who has been detained since November 2024. But two days before that critical moment, Algerian authorities handed down a harsh sentence against another French national. In a case that had largely escaped media attention, Christophe Gleizes, a 36-year-old freelance sports journalist, was sentenced on June 29 by a court in Tizi Ouzou, Kabylia, to seven years of jail time with a warrant for immediate imprisonment for "glorifying terrorism" and "possessing publications for propaganda purposes harmful to national interests," Reporters Without Borders (RSF) revealed the same day in a statement. An appeal is expected to be filed on July 2, according to Salah Brahimi, head of the Tizi Ouzou bar association, who is representing the journalist. The defense counsel has 10 days to initiate the process. Contacted by Le Monde, the French Foreign Ministry said on Monday morning of Monday that it was "not in a position" to comment on court rulings.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Algeria sentences French sports journalist to seven years behind bars
Algerian authorities have sentenced a prominent French sports journalist to seven years in prison for "glorifying terrorism", media rights campaigners RSF have said, denouncing the verdict as "nonsensical". Christophe Gleizes, who contributes to the So Foot magazine, will file an appeal on Monday. Gleizes, 36, was ordered by the court in Tizi Ouzou, northern Algeria, to be immediately incarcerated, RSF said Sunday. "He has now been unjustly convicted and imprisoned for simply doing his job," it said. France's AFP news agency reported that Gleizes had been taken to Tizo Ouzou prison straight after his conviction. After filing his appeal, the case would be heard in October at the earliest. Gleizes, who has co-authored a book about football in Africa, travelled to Algeria in May 2024 to write about the local Tizi Ouzou football club Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie (JSK) – named after Algeria's Kabylie region, home to the Berber Kabyle people. He was arrested on 28 May and placed under judicial control and prevented from leaving the country, RSF said. He was charged with "glorifying terrorism" and "possessing publications for propaganda purposes harmful to national interests". "Christophe Gleizes has been subjected to an absurd judicial control order for over a year," said Thibaut Bruttin, RSF's director general. Read more on RFI EnglishRead also:French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal sentenced to five years in prisonFrance to expel Algerian diplomats after embassy staff sent home from AlgiersMacron shifts to quiet diplomacy in bid to resolve Algeria crisis
The Sun
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Algeria sentences French football journalist to 7 years jail: RSF
PARIS: Algeria's authorities have sentenced a prominent French sports journalist specialised in African football to seven years in prison for 'glorifying terrorism', media rights campaigners RSF said Sunday, denouncing the verdict as 'nonsensical'. Christophe Gleizes, 36, who contributes to the So Foot magazine, was ordered by the court in Tizi Ouzou to be immediately incarcerated and will appeal the ruling on Monday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said. 'He has now been unjustly convicted and imprisoned for simply doing his job,' said the group. Legal sources told AFP Gleizes had been taken to Tizo Ouzou prison straight after his conviction. Once he had filed his appeal, the case would be heard in October at the earliest, they added. Gleizes, who has co-authored a book about football in Africa, was arrested in May 2024 and then placed under judicial control and prevented from leaving the country, RSF said. 'Christophe Gleizes has been subjected to an absurd judicial control order for over a year,' said Thibaut Bruttin, RSF's director general. 'His seven-year sentence is nonsensical and demonstrates one thing: today, nothing escapes politics,' he added. Gleizes travelled to the country and Tizi Ouzou to write about the local football club Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie, named after Algeria's Kabylia region, home to the Berber Kabyle people. 'We are in shock,' his family said in a statement shared by RSF. 'There is no justification for Christophe having to endure this ordeal. How can one justify punishing a journalist for practising his profession with integrity?' 'In shock' As well as 'glorifying terrorism', he was convicted of 'possessing publications for propaganda purposes harmful to national interests', RSF said. It said Gleizes had 2015 and 2017 been in touch with a Tizi Ouzou football figure prominent in the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), designated a 'terrorist' organisation by the Algerian authorities in 2021. 'The first two interactions between Christophe Gleizes and this individual occurred well before this designation,' it said, adding he had also not concealed contacting the person again in 2024 as part of preparations for the report. 'Imprisoned for doing his job!' said So Foot. 'His loved ones and editorial team are in shock,' it added. The jailing of Gleizes comes as a time of growing tension between Algeria and former colonial master France. Algeria arrested and jailed French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in November on national security charges and has defied calls from President Emmanuel Macron for his release. Macron angered Algiers in July 2024 when he backed Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara, where Algeria backs the pro-independence Polisario Front.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Algeria sentences French football journalist to seven years in jail
Algerian authorities have sentenced a French sports journalist, known for his coverage of African football, to seven years in prison on charges of "gloriying terrorism", according to media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Christophe Gleizes, 36, a contributor to So Foot magazine, was ordered by a court in Tizi Ouzou to be taken into custody immediately. Algeria's authorities have sentenced a prominent French sports journalist specialised in African football to seven years in prison for "glorifying terrorism", media rights campaigners RSF said Sunday, denouncing the verdict as "nonsensical". Christophe Gleizes, 36, who contributes to the So Foot magazine, was ordered by the court in Tizi Ouzou to be immediately incarcerated and will appeal the ruling on Monday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said. "He has now been unjustly convicted and imprisoned for simply doing his job," said the group. Gleizes, who has co-authored a book about football in Africa, was arrested in May 2024 and then placed under judicial control and was unable to leave the country, RSF said. "Christophe Gleizes has been subjected to an absurd judicial control order for over a year," said Thibaut Bruttin, RSF's director general. "We are in shock," his family said in a statement shared by RSF. (FRANCE 24 with AFP) Read more on FRANCE 24 EnglishRead also:Algeria summons ambassador after France indicts consular official in dissident's abductionAlgeria issues arrest warrants for writer Daoud amid escalating tensions with France
