Aïcha Dahdouh denies medical secrecy violation in Algeria

Psychiatrist Aïcha Dahdouh has issued an official statement declaring her innocence regarding allegations of violating medical secrecy in Algeria. The charges are linked to the success of the novel ‘Houris’ by her husband, Franco-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud.

Saâda Arbane, a survivor of violence during the Algerian civil war, accused Daoud of using her intimate life details without consent. Arbane alleges that Daoud obtained this information through Dahdouh, who had treated her as a psychiatric patient for several years. Dahdouh firmly denies stealing files or disclosing confidential information, stating she has remained faithful to medical ethics.

In her statement, Dahdouh also distanced herself from her husband’s public stances, noting that she does not share his views on Algeria, Islam, and Palestine. She emphasized that ‘the voice of Kamel Daoud must not erase mine’ and cited fundamental differences in how they perceive the suffering of others.