Was Algerian writer Boualem Sansal arrested over Eastern Sahara and Polisario remarks ?

After six days without contact, alarming news emerged this Thursday in France regarding French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, aged 75. Sansal, known for his criticism of the Algerian regime, has been reported missing since arriving at Algiers airport on Saturday, November 16. According to Le Point, he was allegedly arrested by Algerian police upon his return from Paris.

Le Figaro reported that French President Emmanuel Macron is «deeply concerned» and closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing that Macron personally granted Sansal French citizenship in 2024. Sources suggest that Sansal is in the custody of Algerian security services, held incommunicado for six days under accusations of «intelligence with the enemy».

His arrest is reportedly linked to statements made on October 2 during an interview with the far-right media Livre Noir. In the program Frontières, Sansal made remarks that angered Algiers, accusing the regime of undermining territorial integrity. He claimed, «When France colonized Algeria, the entire western part of Algeria—Tlemcen, Oran, and even Mascara—was part of Morocco. This entire region was part of the kingdom». These statements, aligning with Morocco’s historical «Greater Morocco» thesis, have long provoked Algerian generals, who refuse to address Moroccan claims over what they call «Eastern Sahara».

Sansal also argued that «Moroccans say: ‘They promised us that upon independence, they would return what France had stolen from us, but they lied'». Furthermore, he accused the Algerian regime of creating the Polisario Front to destabilize Morocco.