Boualem Sansal

Boualem Sansal was born in 1949 in Algeria. He holds degrees in Engineering and a doctorate in Economics. His books have been acclaimed in the Francophone world, but also worldwide. Sansal, a novelist and essayist, has been awarded the following literary prizes, among others: Prize Michel Dard, Award RTL-LireFrancophonie Prize, Prize Louis-GuillouxPeace Prize of the German Booksellers Association – Frankfurt Book Fair, Prize Édouard-Glissant, Grand Prize for Arabic Fiction, Grand Prize for Fiction of Société des Gens de Lettres, Grand Prix de la Francophonie of the French Academy, Grand Prix du Roman of French Renaissance.
Sansal recently acquired French nationality, although his connection to his native Algeria has always remained unwavering. On November 16, 2024, he was arrested upon arrival at Algiers airport, which was followed by a five-year prison sentence for conspiracy against national unity. Boualem Sansal, 75, a critic of the Algerian regime, has been detained ever since, despite numerous appeals from international figures for his release.