A French Judge Accuses Internal Services Of Involvement In The Repression Of Algerians

 A French judge dropped a political bombshell, questioning the integrity of administrative decisions issued during the tenure of former French Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, against Algerian activists on social media, whom the French government attempted to deport to Algeria outside diplomatic and consular norms.

During the appeal session of the Algerian activist, known as “Boualem Naamane” alias “Doualmine”, against his conviction for “incitement to violence”, at the Montpellier Court of Appeal in southwestern France, Judge Charles Pinarel addressed the Algerian national in the session held on Monday, May 11, saying: “Don’t you think there is an attempt to manipulate the judicial system?” He was referring to the services of the French Ministry of Interior in his accusation.

The judge then continued his speech with much astonishment, addressing the Algerian national: “With all that is circulating on social media, it is strange that a mayor reports you, then the prefect does the same… then you are deported.

And finally, you find yourself before us. It’s a strange story,” according to a dispatch from the French news agency “France Presse”, which stated that “the atmosphere of political tensions between France and Algeria overshadowed the Montpellier Court of Appeal.”

The judge was referring to the mayor of Montpellier and the prefect of Hérault who reported Boualem Naamane for broadcasting a live video on TikTok that was interpreted as an incitement. In the first instance court, in March 2025, Boualem Naamane was convicted of “incitement to commit a crime or offense” and sentenced to five months in prison with a suspended sentence. The appeal decision was set for July 2.

For those who do not remember, Boualem Naamane is the Algerian activist who was accused by the services of the former French Interior Minister of inciting violence, and he was the first Algerian whom Bruno Retailleau tried to deport without obtaining permission from the Algerian consulate in January 2025.

Indeed, he was disembarked at Houari Boumediene Airport in the capital, but the Algerian authorities returned him on the same plane that brought him, because his deportation procedures were not carried out according to the established measures.

Immediately after activist Doualmine’s return to Paris and the announcement of the failure of the attempt to forcibly deport him, the former French Interior Minister accused Algeria of “insulting France” and called for activating a policy of balance of power with it.

However, that policy was ineffective, as cases of deportation in the same manner were recorded, but the Algerian authorities confronted them, and the deportees were returned on the same planes that brought them on the same day from where they came.

The Doualmine case is considered the first station that raised the level of tension between Algeria and Paris, as the former French government led by François Bayrou, under the influence of the then Interior Minister, resorted to provocative practices and statements towards Algeria, and increased pressure on Algerian nationals, and resorted to imprisoning some activists and on social media, based on videos that were considered part of freedom of expression in the French state that guarantees this type of freedom.

Boualem Naamane, in response to the judge’s questions, pointed to the political instrumentalization of his case by the French Ministry of Interior, confirming that his arrest in January 2025 was for political purposes, and that he was a “collateral victim” of the political and diplomatic disputes between Algeria and France.

He also denied having incited violence, according to the charges against him. It is worth noting that Boualem Naaman had been placed in an administrative detention center in March 2025 under a deportation order, and was released three months later due to the failure to reach an agreement with the Algerian authorities for his deportation.

The statements made by the appeal judge in this case reveal that the French administration under the former Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, was used to provoke Algeria and target its community.

The judge realized that Boualem Naamane’s case was orchestrated by some party, and its perpetrators were administrators working under the supervision of the Interior Minister, which reinforces the hypothesis of the former minister’s sick obsession with Algeria.