French Stars Rally in Paris as Journalist Christophe Gleizes Marks 500 Days in Algerian Prison
French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes has marked 500 days in an Algerian prison. Family members and football stars are rallying in Paris to demand his release and a presidential pardon.
French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes has spent 500 days imprisoned in Algeria, prompting his family and public figures to intensify their campaign for his release. Speaking to RTL radio, his brother Maxime Gleizes discussed the journalist's condition and ongoing efforts to secure a presidential pardon, just hours before a solidarity football match in Paris.
Gleizes, a reporter for the French magazine So Foot, was arrested in May 2024 while reporting on the JS Kabylie football club. He was accused of instigating terrorism and possessing materials intended to harm national interests, largely based on interviews conducted in 2015 and 2017 with a club leader associated with the MAK movement, which Algeria designated as a terrorist organization in 2021. Reporters Without Borders confirmed the reporting trip was entirely professional. In June 2025, he was sentenced to seven years in prison.
According to his family, the newly appointed French consul recently visited Gleizes, reporting that he is maintaining good morale despite suffering from dental pain and limited visits. His family, including his 103-year-old grandmother, continues to appeal for his freedom. Meanwhile, prominent former French football figures, including Robert Pires and Luis Fernandez, are participating in a charity match organized by Reporters Without Borders in Paris to raise awareness and demand his release.
