France’s justice minister, Gérald Darmanin, was in the Algerian capital Algiers on Monday for talks with his counterpart Lotfi Boudjemaa over more cooperation in tackling crime and the possible release of the jailed French journalist Christophe Gleizes.
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Darmanin is the third French minister to visit the country in the last three months.
Just over a week ago, the armed forces minister, Alice Rufo, and the Algerian president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, agreed a deal to increase cooperation in the areas of security and defence.
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In February, the interior minister, Laurent Nunez, spent two days in Algiers as part of the first attempts to improve relations that had broken down in 2024 after the French government said it supported a plan for autonomy “under Moroccan sovereignty” for the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
Algeria immediately recalled its ambassador to France following the announcement.
Tensions worsened further after the arrest in November 2024 of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who was pardoned by Tebboune in November 2025.
“The visit aims to work towards opening a new chapter in judicial cooperation between our two countries,” the Ministry of Justice said on Monday.
“The priority will be to revive a collaboration that has slowed to a crawl and to overcome a lack of cooperation for diplomatic reasons,” added a spokesperson.
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The DZ Mafia
Darmanin is expected to focus in particular on the case of the DZ Mafia, a cartel of criminal organisations originating in Marseille, southern France.
French judicial authorities say they have issued around 10 requests for mutual legal assistance targeting the alleged leaders of the network who have taken refuge in Algeria.
On Monday in Marseille, Félix Bingui, alias ‘Le Chat’, appeared in court for a trial alongside 19 co-defendants, all alleged members of his group.
Extradited in January 2025 from Morocco, the leader of the Yoda clan – rivals of the DZ Mafia – is accused of drug trafficking, criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
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Case of jailed French reporter
The justice minister’s team of officials is also expected to highlight the Gleizes case.
Campaigners for the sports reporter’s release announced on 5 May that he was withdrawing his appeal against a seven-year prison term.
The move paves the way for a possible presidential pardon.
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Arrested while reporting in May 2024, Gleizes was sentenced to seven years in prison for “glorifying terrorism”.
The 37-year-old had travelled to Algeria to write a story on the Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie football club in Tizi Ouzou.
He also intended to research an article on the Cameroonian player Albert Ebossé Bodjongo, who died in August 2014 following a match between JS Kabylie and USM Alger.
“Sensitive individual cases will also be discussed,” added the Ministry of Justice spokesperson. “In particular the case of our compatriot Christophe Gleizes.”
On Sunday, in a further sign of a thaw in Franco-Algerian bilateral relations, Nunez said the Algerian Minister of the Interior, Saïd Sayoud, will soon travel to Paris.
“This is a very positive sign,” said Nunez in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche. “Security cooperation is gradually being re-established,” he added.
“Several million people on both sides of the Mediterranean are affected by the relationship between the two countries.”
(with AFP)
