Christophe Gleizes withdraws request for review and hopes for mercy from Algerian President Tebboune

Paris – 03.06.2026: The French journalist Christophe Gleizes, who has been imprisoned in Algeria since June 2024, has withdrawn his request for revision at the Supreme Court. Gleizes was arrested in May 2024 in Tizi Ouzou while reporting on the football club Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie (JSK). The Algerian authorities accused him of “glorifying terrorism” and “possession of propaganda material.” These accusations are based on his contacts with a JSK official who is a member of the Kabylia Autonomy Movement (MAK), considered a terrorist organization.

In December 2025, a court of appeal confirmed his seven-year prison sentence. The Gleizes family stated that the journalist now fully relies on the clemency request to President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The withdrawal of the request for revision is seen as a strategic gesture that could facilitate a clemency decision in Algeria.

This development takes place against the backdrop of intensified diplomatic efforts between France and Algeria. In early May 2026, the French Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin visited Algeria and met with President Tebboune. Topics included bilateral cooperation and the release of Gleizes. Relations between Paris and Algeria have been tense for years, with cases like Gleizes’ playing a significant role.

The Kabylia Autonomy Movement (MAK) is considered a terrorist organization in Algeria, highlighting the political dimension of this case. Gleizes’ reporting on the JSK football club and his ties to a MAK member formed the basis for the charges. Gleizes himself and his family deny the accusations.

The decision to forgo a judicial revision and instead hope for clemency from the president may indicate that Gleizes wants to increase his chances of sentence reduction through political concessions. Whether President Tebboune will grant this request remains unclear. A clemency decision would be an exception in an otherwise harsh legal context and could give new impetus to Franco-Algerian relations.

The international community and human rights organizations are closely following the case as it exemplifies the complex political and legal tensions between France and Algeria. Gleizes has repeatedly been the subject of protests and calls for release. In Algeria itself, the case leads to controversial discussions about press freedom and political repression.

The situation remains tense, and Gleizes’ release would be considered an important signal. Until the final decision, his condition and the political decision-making in Algiers remain of great importance.