The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has stepped in to defend French journalist Christophe Glez, who is imprisoned in Algeria on charges of “glorifying terrorism,” by granting him press accreditation to cover the 2026 World Cup finals.
The French news agency reported that FIFA granted Ghliz official accreditation, theoretically allowing him to cover the World Cup competitions held in the United States, Canada and Mexico for the French magazine “So Foot” with which he collaborates, despite his imprisonment in Algeria.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed Glez's situation during a press conference on the eve of the tournament, saying, "He's not with us, but his chair is waiting for him." He added that he hoped for a presidential pardon that would allow him to cover the World Cup.
Reporters Without Borders, for its part, considered the granting of accreditation to be a support for the French journalist, noting that the decision highlights his case in conjunction with the start of the world’s biggest football event.
The case dates back to May 2024, when Christophe Gleize was arrested while working on a journalistic report about the Kabylie Youth football club. According to the indictment, he had been in contact with individuals who advocated for separatism in the Kabylie region. Following legal proceedings, the Algerian courts sentenced him to seven years in prison for "glorifying terrorism," a sentence upheld on appeal.
The case has seen a significant legal development in recent weeks following a Supreme Court ruling that ended all appeals. Defense lawyers announced that the Supreme Court had recorded Ghliz's withdrawal of his appeal and rejected the appeal filed by the Attorney General at the Tizi Ouzou Court of Appeal, thus making the verdict final.
The defense considered that this decision puts an end to the judicial process in the case, and makes the file of the French journalist compliant with the legal conditions relating to the possibility of benefiting from a presidential pardon , given that Algerian legislation requires the finality of judgments before considering such procedures.
In France, the journalist's family continued their appeals to the Algerian authorities for his release, while the French news agency quoted his mother as saying, after a visit to him in prison, that he was in normal conditions, but felt isolated as a result of his continued imprisonment.
These developments come in a context of relative improvement in Algerian-French relations compared to the period following the verdict, as recent months have seen contacts and consular visits related to monitoring the situation of the French journalist.
Ghezzi's last public appearance was about two months ago in a photograph published by Ségolène Royal, president of the Algeria-France Association. In the photo, he appeared to be in good health, showing no signs of concern for his physical or mental well-being. The photograph showed Royal standing next to Ghezzi, who was wearing a dark sports jacket and holding a book titled "Emir Abdelkader: The Era of Wisdom," which she had given him during the visit.
The Algerian constitution grants the president the power to issue a pardon for those convicted, which does not apply to the case of Ghliz, who should have waited for the Supreme Court’s decision for the verdict to become final in his case. By dropping the appeal, he falls into the category of those who can benefit from a presidential pardon.
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