Gleizes, 37, was convicted in June last year for “glorifying terrorism,” a ruling upheld by an appeals court in December. His legal team had initially sought a retrial at the top court, but his mother, Sylvie Godard, said he has now abandoned that effort and is instead appealing directly for clemency from Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

“He is placing himself entirely at the mercy of President Tebboune so that he may show clemency,” Godard told reporters, adding that she had written to the Algerian leader requesting a pardon.

The case comes against a backdrop of strained relations between France and Algeria, which deteriorated after Paris in 2024 endorsed Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a disputed territory where Algiers backs the pro-independence Polisario Front.

Diplomatic ties have shown tentative signs of improvement in recent months, with both countries agreeing in February to resume security cooperation during a visit by French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to Algiers.

Gleizes was arrested in May 2024 while traveling to the Kabylia region to report on Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie, one of Algeria’s most prominent football clubs. Authorities accused him of contact with an individual linked to the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), which Algeria designates as a terrorist organization.

During his appeal hearing, Gleizes said he was unaware the group had been classified as terrorist.President Tebboune has previously granted pardons in sensitive cases involving French nationals, including novelist Boualem Sansal, who was released after serving a year in prison over remarks concerning Western Sahara.

Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said Bamako considers Morocco’s proposal granting autonomy to Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty as “the only serious and credible basis” for resolving the conflict.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony largely controlled by Morocco, remains Africa’s only territory with an unresolved post-colonial status.

The region is also claimed by the Polisario Front, which seeks full independence and advocates for a United Nations-supervised referendum on self-determination for the Sahrawi people.Mali’s decision comes amid worsening diplomatic ties with Algeria, a key backer of the Polisario Front.

The move is likely to deepen regional tensions, as Algeria and Morocco have long been at odds over the future of the territory.Rabat has promoted its autonomy initiative as a pragmatic solution, while the Polisario Front insists on implementing a 1991 agreement that provides for a referendum on independence under UN oversight.

The geopolitical context has shifted in recent months. In October 2025, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution supporting Morocco’s autonomy plan, signaling growing international backing for Rabat’s position.

The disputed territory is rich in natural resources, including phosphates, and its surrounding waters are considered among the most productive fishing zones in the region, adding economic significance to the political conflict.