Prize-winning book 'Houris' brings prison term for French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud

Algerian court sentences author Kamel Daoud to three years in prison over his prize-winning novel 'Houris', reigniting debate over artistic freedom and historical memory. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Prize-winning book 'Houris' brings prison term for French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud

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French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud has been sentenced in absentia by an Algerian court to three years in prison and a fine for his award-winning novel "Houris," a work that revisits the trauma of Algeria's civil war. The verdict, confirmed by Daoud himself, was delivered in Algeria and marks a severe escalation in the legal pressures facing intellectuals who critically examine the nation's recent history. The case stems from a complaint filed by a veteran's group, alleging the novel's content harmed the image of the Algerian people and its mujahideen, the term for those who fought in the war of independence and the subsequent civil conflict. The novel "Houris," which won the prestigious Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman in 2023, is a fictional exploration of the brutal civil war of the 1990s, a period known as the 'Black Decade.' The conflict, which erupted after the military cancelled elections that an Islamist party was poised to win, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 200,000 people. Daoud's narrative, through its characters and allegory, delves into the psychological and societal scars left by this era of violence, a subject that remains largely taboo in official Algerian discourse. The state narrative has long emphasized national unity and the heroism of its fighters, often sidelining complex, painful memories of internal strife. This sentencing is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of tightening restrictions on free expression in Algeria. In recent years, journalists, activists, and artists have faced increasing legal harassment under broadly defined laws related to defamation, national unity, and offending state institutions. The case against Daoud, targeting a globally recognized literary figure, sends a chilling message to Algeria's cultural community. It signifies that even artistic and metaphorical engagement with the past is subject to criminal sanction if it is perceived to challenge state-sanctioned historical narratives or offend certain powerful constituencies, such as veterans' organizations. The international literary and human rights community has reacted with alarm to the verdict. Daoud, who lives in France, is a...

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Categoria: cronaca