.png "Franco-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud") |
| Franco-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud |
Algeria has issued two international arrest warrants against Franco-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud, as confirmed by France’s Foreign Ministry on May 7, 2025. The warrants, issued by a judge in Oran, stem from allegations that Daoud and his wife, a psychiatrist, used the personal story of Saada Arbane, a survivor of Algeria’s 1990s civil war, without consent in his novel Houris, which won the 2024 Goncourt Prize. The case, which also includes a privacy lawsuit in France, highlights tensions between artistic freedom and personal rights, set against strained France-Algeria relations. France has pledged to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing its commitment to freedom of expression.
Details of the Legal Actions
The warrants, issued via Interpol Algeria in March and May 2025, follow two complaints filed in Oran in November 2024. One, by Saada Arbane, accuses Daoud and his wife, Aicha Dehdouh, of violating medical confidentiality and using Arbane’s story—shared during therapy from 2015 to 2023—for the character Aube in Houris. Arbane, who survived a 1993 massacre in Tiaret at age six, claims specific details like her tracheostomy tube, scars, and tattoos mirror her life. The second complaint, from the National Organization of Victims of Terrorism, alleges Daoud violated Algeria’s 2005 national reconciliation law, which restricts publications about the civil war (1992–2002, 200,000 deaths). This law carries a 3-to-5-year prison term for content deemed to harm Algeria’s image or institutions.
In France, Arbane is suing Daoud and Gallimard for invasion of privacy and defamation, seeking €200,000 in damages. A procedural hearing is scheduled for May 7, 2025, in Paris. Arbane’s lawyers, William Bourdon and Lily Ravon, call the case “exceptional” in judicial history, citing Daoud’s admission in a September 2024 L’Obs interview that he knew a woman with a tracheostomy tube who inspired the story. Daoud’s lawyer, Jacqueline Laffont, argues the warrants are politically motivated, part of a campaign to silence him, and plans to contest them via Interpol’s file control commission.
Daoud’s Defense and Context
Daoud, speaking on France Inter in December 2024, insisted Arbane’s story was “public” in Algeria and that Houris is a fictional work inspired by the civil war, not a biography. Gallimard, his publisher, denounced the accusations as “violent defamatory campaigns” orchestrated by media tied to Algeria’s regime, noting the novel’s ban in Algeria and their exclusion from the Algiers International Book Fair in November 2024. Antoine Gallimard emphasized that Houris’s plot and characters are “purely fictional,” despite drawing on historical events.
The controversy unfolds amid heightened France-Algeria tensions, exacerbated by France’s July 2024 support for Morocco’s Western Sahara autonomy plan, opposed by Algeria. Daoud’s public defense of imprisoned writer Boualem Sansal, arrested in Algiers in November 2024, and his critiques of Algeria’s government have fueled perceptions of a targeted campaign. Posts on X reflect divided sentiments, with some praising Daoud’s literary courage and others condemning the alleged exploitation of Arbane’s trauma.
France’s Reaction and Broader Implications
France’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Christophe Lemoine, called Daoud a “respected and recognized author” and reaffirmed France’s commitment to freedom of expression. The ministry is closely monitoring the situation, particularly as Daoud faces legal proceedings in both countries. The case raises questions about the balance between artistic freedom and privacy rights, especially in post-colonial contexts. Legal experts note that while freedom of expression is protected, it is not absolute when personal harm is alleged.
The outcome could set precedents for how authors navigate real-life inspirations in fiction, particularly in politically charged environments. Daoud’s situation, alongside Sansal’s detention, has also sparked concerns about Algeria’s crackdown on free speech, with French politicians like Edouard Philippe and Marine Le Pen voicing support for the writers. The literary world watches closely as Daoud navigates this unprecedented judicial and political storm.
Key Details of Kamel Daoud’s Legal Challenges
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Arrest Warrants | Two issued by Oran judge, via Interpol Algeria (March, May 2025) |
| Algerian Complaints | Invasion of privacy (Saada Arbane), violation of reconciliation law (National Organization of Victims of Terrorism) |
| French Lawsuit | Invasion of privacy, defamation; hearing on May 7, 2025, in Paris |
| Allegations | Using Arbane’s story without consent, breaching medical confidentiality |
| Defense | Daoud and Gallimard claim fiction, allege political persecution |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why did Algeria issue arrest warrants against Kamel Daoud?
The warrants stem from complaints alleging Daoud used Saada Arbane’s personal story without consent in Houris and violated Algeria’s reconciliation law by addressing the civil war.
What is Saada Arbane’s claim against Daoud?
Arbane, a massacre survivor, claims Daoud and his wife used her therapy-disclosed story for Houris’s protagonist, breaching privacy and medical confidentiality.
How has France responded to the warrants?
The French Foreign Ministry is monitoring the situation, emphasizing Daoud’s status as a respected author and France’s commitment to freedom of expression.
What are the broader implications of this case?
It highlights tensions between artistic freedom and privacy, France-Algeria relations, and Algeria’s restrictions on civil war narratives, potentially setting legal precedents.
Conclusion
Algeria’s issuance of two international arrest warrants against Kamel Daoud on May 6, 2025, for his novel Houris has escalated a legal and diplomatic controversy. Accused of exploiting Saada Arbane’s trauma, Daoud faces lawsuits in Algeria and France, with his defense arguing political persecution. France’s vigilant stance underscores the case’s stakes for freedom of expression and artistic rights. As hearings unfold, the dispute will test the boundaries of fiction, privacy, and post-colonial narratives, with significant implications for Daoud and literary discourse.