RSF Organizes Solidarity Match for Imprisoned Journalist Christophe Gleizes
French reporter Christophe Gleizes marks 500 days of detention in Algeria.
1Journalist Held in Algeria
Christophe Gleizes, a 37-year-old French journalist, has been detained in Algeria for five hundred days. Arrested in May 2024 while reporting on the Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie football club, he was later sentenced to seven years in prison for apology for terrorism. He remains the only French journalist currently imprisoned abroad.
2Solidarity Match Initiative
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is organizing a solidarity football match on Wednesday, November 11, to demand his release. The event, held in western Paris, will be closed to the public but broadcast via TV5Monde and multiple digital platforms, including the YouTube channels of the French Football Federation and L’Equipe.
3High-Profile Support Network
Approximately forty notable figures are expected to participate in the match, including former international footballers Robert Pirès and Vikash Dhorasoo. Other attendees include Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, actor Denis Podalydès, and prominent journalists such as Florence Aubenas and Edwy Plenel, all uniting to highlight the ongoing case of the imprisoned reporter.
4Professional Solidarity Efforts
Over forty journalist societies recently published a joint tribune in Libération, emphasizing that Gleizes is being denied his fundamental right to inform. RSF Director General Thibaut Bruttin stated that the reporter belongs in press tribunes rather than a prison cell, following similar displays of support during the 2026 World Cup.
5Personal Impact and Family
The human toll of the detention is significant for the journalist's family. His centenarian grandmother, Georgette Belle, expressed deep sorrow over the possibility of never seeing him again due to her advanced age. His mother, Sylvie Godard, remains deeply concerned about the impact of upcoming political transitions on his case.
6Political Timing Concerns
Sylvie Godard has expressed anxiety regarding the French presidential election, fearing that a change in government could stall diplomatic efforts. She noted that the time required for a new administration to settle could further prolong her son's imprisonment, making a resolution before the election period a critical priority for his family.
7Conditions in Koléa Prison
Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, the Archbishop of Algiers, provides monthly visits to Gleizes at the Koléa prison. He describes the journalist as a resilient individual who maintains his mental well-being by reading extensively and fostering positive relationships with his fellow inmates, despite the challenging circumstances of his long-term incarceration.
8Broader Implications of Detention
The case of Christophe Gleizes serves as a focal point for international debates regarding press freedom and the protection of journalists working abroad. As the only French reporter currently held in a foreign prison, his situation represents a complex intersection of legal, diplomatic, and humanitarian challenges requiring urgent international attention.