French Intellectuals Decry Dissident Writer Boualem Sansal’s Arrest in Algeria

The arrest of an outspoken writer who flew back to his Algerian homeland and was quietly taken into custody upon arrival has set off alarm in literary and political circles worldwide and threatens to trigger a diplomatic incident.

The 75-year-old novelist, Boualem Sansal, disappeared for about a week after being detained on Nov. 16, with the Algerian government neither announcing his arrest not offering an explanation for it. Rumors swirled. Then on Monday, he was accused at hearing of “endangering the nation” with his proclamations, according to his lawyer in France, François Zimeray.

Mr. Sansal, who since this year has French as well as Algerian citizenship, has a long history of ruffling feathers and is a pointed critic of the Algerian government.

His lawyer suggested that the charges were likely tied to recent comments by the writer that touched on a sore spot for Algeria and came at particularly fraught moment in its relations with France.

Mr. Sansal had endorsed an argument that French colonization benefited Algeria by depriving Morocco of land in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, which was once part of its kingdom. His statements coincided with a visit to Morocco in late October by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, after France backed a plan that would give Morocco sovereignty over the territory.