Christophe Gleizes' family and RSF urge French action for journalist's release

The family of journalist Christophe Gleizes and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) are calling on French authorities to act quickly to secure his release from prison in Algeria. Gleizes, a 37-year-old freelance journalist who contributes to So Foot and Society, has been imprisoned for over 500 days.

He was arrested in May 2024 while reporting on the football club Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie (JSK) in Tizi Ouzou. Following a period of judicial supervision, he was sentenced in July 2025 to seven years in prison for “apologie du terrorisme” (apology for terrorism) and possession of propaganda. The charges stemmed from his past communications with a former club official linked to the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylia, an organization classified as terrorist by Algerian authorities.

RSF Director General Thibaut Bruttin expressed concern that Gleizes has become a “state hostage,” urging the French government to intervene before the upcoming French elections to prevent the situation from being used for political leverage. In Montpellier, local officials have also voiced protests against the ruling, describing it as an “iniquitous decision” made by a court under authoritarian influence.