Journalist Gleizes sentenced to seven years: Algeria under pressure!

Journalist Gleizes sentenced to seven years: Algeria under pressure!

As of December 3, 2025, the situation of journalist Christophe Gleizes in Algeria remains worrying. The appeal court in Tizi Ouzou confirmed his sentence of seven years in prison. Gleizes, who works for the magazines “So Foot” and “Society,” admitted his mistakes in court and asked for an apology, but the judges were unimpressed by his emotional appeal for leniency. The public prosecutor even called for the sentence to be increased to ten years for “apologizing for terrorism”.

The allegations against Gleizes are related to my personal contact with a president of a football club who is also connected to the “Mouvement pour l’autodétermination de la Kabylie” (MAK). This separatist movement was classified as terrorist by the Algerian authorities in 2021. The roots of the MAK go back to 2001, when 126 people tragically died in the “Printemps noir” protests. The founder of the MAK, Ferhat Mehenni, lives in exile in France and was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for, among other things, his efforts to promote the independence of Kabylie.

The repression in Algeria

The situation in Algeria as a whole is characterized by rapidly increasing repression. Critical voices are quickly silenced, which has been particularly noticeable since the Hirak protests in 2019. Media, political parties and organizations face constant attacks, and the definition of terrorism has been expanded to include separatist movements such as the MAK. Mouloud Boumghar, professor of law, outlines the cultural and political identity of Kabylie and highlights the instrumentalization of terrorism allegations to criminalize critical voices.

Regarding the situation of journalists and other activists, Human Rights Watch reports on the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and civil rights in Algeria. For example, journalist Fouzia Amrani was sentenced to one year in prison after insulting a state official. Such cases demonstrate that the Algerian government is not making serious efforts to protect the rights of its citizens. Instead, peaceful expression of opinion and critical statements are systematically persecuted.

The MAK and the search for support

The MAK gained attention as a result of the Gleizes case. This organization has made it its mission to reject Kabylie's independence and considers Algeria an “occupier”. This could lead to increased international support in the coming months as the MAK actively seeks additional allies. Ferhat Mehenni has called for Kabylie's problems to no longer be ignored, both on the national and international stage.

In summary, it is clear that the repression against journalists and activists in Algeria has reached alarming levels, while critical voices like those of the MAK are increasingly being pushed onto the defensive. The situation remains tense and it remains to be seen how things will develop, particularly in view of the ongoing investigation into Christophe Gleizes and the reaction of the international community.

For more information on these developments you can view the detailed report Radio France Culture, Le Monde and Human Rights Watch track.