Goncourt Prize Winner Kamel Daoud Sentenced to Three Years in Prison by Algerian Court Over Civil War Novel

Algerian writer Kamel Daoud receives a three-year prison sentence for his novel 'The Scar' after violating laws against discussing the 1990s civil war.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 22, 2026, 8:52 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Sweden Herald

Legal Repercussions for Historical Fiction

Renowned Algerian writer Kamel Daoud has been handed a three-year prison sentence and a fine by authorities in Algeria. The author, who currently lives in exile in France, confirmed the sentencing via a post on X (formerly Twitter). The legal action is primarily linked to his latest novel, The Scar, which delves into the harrowing events of the Algerian Civil War during the 1990s—a conflict that resulted in the deaths of at least 200,000 people. Despite the book earning him the prestigious Goncourt Prize in 2024, the subject matter has placed him in direct conflict with Algerian national law.

The 2005 Silence Law

The cornerstone of the prosecution’s case is a law enacted in 2005 that criminalizes public discourse regarding the civil war. Under this legislation, anyone who speaks or writes publicly about the "Black Decade" in a manner deemed critical or disruptive to national peace risks imprisonment. Algerian authorities have maintained that the law is necessary for national reconciliation; however, human rights groups and international literary organizations argue it is a tool for censorship. Daoud’s novel, written and published in France, is viewed by the Algerian state as a direct violation of this mandate.

Allegations of Plagiarism and Life Theft

In addition to state-led charges, Daoud faced a private lawsuit from an Algerian woman who alleged that the author "stole her life story" to construct the narrative of The Scar. Following the book's international success, the Algerian government issued two arrest warrants against him. In a recent interview with TT News Agency, Daoud denied the theft allegations, asserting that the woman and her story are well-known public knowledge within Algeria. He characterized the lawsuit as a secondary attempt by the state to delegitimize his work following the global acclaim of the Goncourt Prize.