Boualem Sansal

1949, France — present

Boualem Sansal (Arabic: بوعلام صنصال, French pronunciation: [bwalɛm sɑ̃sal]; born 15 October 1949) is an Algerian author who writes in French. He holds an engineering degree from the National Polytechnic School and a PhD in economics. Sansal has worked as a teacher, consultant, business leader, and senior official in Algeria’s Ministry of Industry. After retiring from his high-ranking government position, he began writing novels at the age of 50. He is known for his outspoken criticism of Islamism. Sansal has authored several novels that have earned him literary awards mainly French, including the Prix du Premier Roman (1999), the Prix Nessim-Habif (2008), the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade (2011), the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française (2015), and the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca (2025). He was imprisoned in Algeria on 16 November 2024, shortly after publicly challenging the country’s borders in Frontières, a far-right French media outlet. His arrest has escalated the diplomatic tensions between Algeria and France. Their work has been subject to censorship or banning challenges.