Algeria has formally protested to France after a consular official was detained prior to trial, suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of a TikTok influencer in April 2024. The official, alongside two other individuals, is under investigation for abduction, unlawful detention, and other charges possibly linked to terrorism, according to French prosecutors.

Amir Boukhors, also known as “Amir DZ,” is a widely followed influencer and critic of the Algerian government, who has resided in France since 2016 and has been granted political asylum. He was apparently abducted in April and released the following day.

Algeria has labeled Boukhors as a “saboteur linked to terrorist groups” and views the arrest of its consular representative as a politically motivated act. The Algerian Foreign Ministry has lodged a strong condemnation, emphasizing that the arrest, made without prior diplomatic notification, was based solely on the accused’s mobile phone reportedly being near Boukhors’s home. Algeria calls for the immediate release of its consular officer, warning that this incident could significantly harm relations with France.

This development comes at a time when France and Algeria’s relations were beginning to thaw following a phone call between their presidents on March 31. However, past incidents have strained their relationship, including France’s recognition of a plan for Western Sahara’s autonomy under Moroccan control last July, and President Macron’s advocacy for the release of French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal, who was jailed for allegedly undermining Algeria’s territorial unity.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/algeria-protests-to-france-over-detaining-consular-official/a-72230799?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf