36-year-old French football journalist, Christophe Gleizes accused of “glorifying terrorism” has been sentenced to seven years in prison by Algerian authorities.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the convict, contributed So Foot magazine, was ordered by a court in Tizi Ouzou to be taken into custody immediately.
On Sunday June 29th 2025, the media rights campaigners RSF, denounced the Algerian authorities verdict, describing it as “nonsensical”, insisting that Gleizes was simply doing his job”.
The report, 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?”.
“Glorifying terrorism”, he was convicted of “possessing publications for propaganda purposes harmful to national interests”, according to RSF report.
“Christophe Gleizes has been subjected to an absurd judicial control order for over a year,” said Thibaut Bruttin, RSF’s director general.
Recall that French President, Emmanuel Macron had pushed for his release, following Algeria authorities arrest and jailed another French-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal in November on national security charges.
FRANCE 24 with AFP).
