The mother of Christophe Gleizes said Tuesday her jailed son has withdrawn his final appeal, seeking clemency from Algeria’s president.
She said the 37-year-old now relies on a possible pardon from Abdelmadjid Tebboune after exhausting legal avenues in the North African country.
Gleizes was sentenced to seven years in prison in June last year on charges of glorifying terrorism, which he firmly denies.
An appeals court upheld the verdict in December, prompting his lawyers to initially pursue a further review at Algeria’s highest court.
His mother, Sylvie Godard, confirmed he had abandoned that effort, placing his fate directly in presidential hands.
“He is placing himself entirely at the mercy of President Tebboune so that he may show clemency,” she told reporters.
Gleizes was arrested in May 2024 while travelling in Kabylia to report on Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie, a celebrated football institution.
Authorities accused him of contact with a figure linked to the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie, which Algeria designates as a terrorist organisation.
He told the appeals court he was unaware of the group’s designation, insisting his work was strictly journalistic and focused on sports reporting.
The case unfolds against strained ties between France and Algeria after Paris backed Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, angering Algiers.
Relations showed tentative improvement in February as officials resumed security cooperation during a visit by Laurent Nunez to Algiers.
Last year, Tebboune granted a pardon to Boualem Sansal after his imprisonment over remarks concerning Western Sahara, offering a possible precedent.