French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal, detained in Algeria on national security charges, has been hospitalized for the second time, raising concerns about his health, AFP reports citing his French editor. The 75-year-old Sansal, a leading figure in francophone literature, was arrested on November 16 at Algiers airport against a background of rising tensions between Algeria and France.
Antoine Gallimard, head of Gallimard publishing, revealed Sansal's transfer to a penitentiary care unit during a support meeting in Paris, and emphasized the fragility of his condition. Known for tackling sensitive subjects, Sansal debuted as a novelist in 1999, exploring Algeria’s civil war and global Islamist threats.
His 2015 award-winning dystopian novel 2084: The End of the World drew comparisons to George Orwell’s 1984. Despite his books not being banned in Algeria, Sansal remains a polarizing figure, especially after a controversial visit to Israel in 2014 and outspoken criticism of Islamism in both Algeria and France.
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