Ballon d’Or Ceremony Dedicates Tribute to Jailed French Journalist Christophe Gleizes

The prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony, organized by France Football in partnership with UEFA, opened with a powerful tribute to jailed French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes. British broadcaster Gary Scott and former Arsenal star and French striker Thierry Henry announced the dedication of the event to Gleizes, who remains detained in Algeria.

Gleizes, a contributor to French publications So Foot and Society, was arrested in May 2024 while traveling to Algeria to report on Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie (JSK), one of the country’s most prominent football clubs. Based in Tizi Ouzou, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Algiers, JSK is located in the mountainous Kabylie region, predominantly inhabited by the Amazigh (Berber) community. The region also serves as the stronghold of the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), which Algerian authorities designated as a terrorist organization in 2021.

Gleizes was accused of possessing publications deemed harmful to national security, with the prosecution focusing on his contacts with a JSK official who also had ties to the MAK. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has vigorously campaigned for his release, asserting that the journalist’s interactions were purely professional and occurred in a journalistic context, with some contacts predating the group’s outlawing.

During his appeal hearing last December, Gleizes acknowledged procedural errors, admitting he should have applied for a journalist visa instead of entering Algeria on a tourist visa. “I beg your mercy so that I can be reunited with my family,” he pleaded before the court. Conversely, prosecutors argued that his travel was not for journalistic purposes but rather to carry out acts hostile to the state.

Algerian authorities have yet to officially respond to the Ballon d’Or’s decision to dedicate the ceremony to Gleizes. To mark the journalist’s 500th day in detention on November 11, RSF has organized a solidarity football match, with former French internationals Robert Pirès and Vikash Dhorasoo, alongside Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, among the first high-profile participants to pledge their support.

Gleizes’ imprisonment highlights broader concerns regarding the prosecution and incarceration of writers and public figures in Algeria. The case unfolds against a backdrop of strained diplomatic relations between France and Algeria, which saw the withdrawal of ambassadors and mutual diplomat expulsions. Tensions escalated further after France recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in July 2024, a move opposed by Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front’s bid for independence for the disputed territory.

As bilateral relations showed signs of recovery in May, French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin visited Algiers, personally urging Algerian authorities to facilitate Gleizes’ release, emphasizing the need for him to reunite “not with France, but with his mother.” Darmanin expressed optimism that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune would consider the appeal favorably.

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