Algerian-French relations strain over alleged kidnapping of dissident AmirDZ

The fragile rapprochement between Paris and Algiers has just unraveled. The trigger? The explosive case surrounding the alleged kidnapping in France of Algerian dissident Amir Boukhors, better known as AmirDZ, and the indictment of an Algerian consular official suspected of involvement.

Three men, including an employee at the Algerian consulate in Créteil, were indicted on Friday in Paris for charges including arrest, kidnapping, unlawful confinement or detention followed by release within seven days, all in connection with a terrorist plot, according to France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT). The men, who are now in custody, are also being prosecuted for criminal conspiracy linked to terrorism.

Following the indictments, lawyer Me Plouvier described the case as a «state affair», while French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau raised the possibility of «foreign interference».

In a strongly worded statement, Algeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the French ambassador in Algiers once again to protest what it called an illegal arrest, denouncing a «judicial witch hunt» and an «unacceptable violation of Algerian sovereignty». Algiers claims the consular staffer was detained in breach of diplomatic norms, based on what it calls «absurd» evidence—such as his phone being located near AmirDZ’s home.

Algerian authorities warned that «this latest unacceptable and unjustifiable development will cause serious damage to Algerian-French relations».

Statement from @Algeria_MFA ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bxNhyt022f

— Algerian Embassy in France ?? (@ambalgerieparis) April 12, 2025

This latest twist comes against a backdrop of already strained relations. President Emmanuel Macron’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara last July sparked a diplomatic rift and political tensions between France and Algeria. While signs of a thaw had emerged—with a phone call between Presidents Tebboune and Macron, followed by a visit to Algiers by French Minister Jean-Noël Barrot—the Algerian ambassador has yet to return to his post in Paris.