French Judiciary Charges Three in Kidnapping of Algerian Opposition Figure Amir Boukhors

Paris, April 12, 2025 – The French judiciary has charged three individuals, including an employee of an Algerian consulate in France, with the kidnapping of Algerian opposition influencer Amir Boukhors, known as Amir DZ, on French soil. The incident, which occurred on April 29, 2024, has raised concerns about foreign interference and strained diplomatic relations between France and Algeria.

Details of the Charges

On Friday, April 11, 2025, the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) charged the three men with "arrest, kidnapping, and arbitrary detention linked to a terrorist enterprise," as well as "participation in a criminal terrorist association." The suspects, one of whom works at an Algerian consulate, were placed in provisional detention following a decision by a liberty and detention judge, according to sources close to the case. The consulate employee holds a service passport, not a diplomatic one, prompting a source to note that "the issue of diplomatic immunity will arise during the legal proceedings" [Web ID: 5].

The Kidnapping Incident

Amir Boukhors, a 41-year-old Algerian influencer and outspoken critic of the Algerian regime, was abducted late on April 29, 2024, in the Val-de-Marne region near Paris. Four hooded men, posing as police with a flashing light on their vehicle, forced him into a car, drove him eastward, and held him for 27 hours in a makeshift structure in a forest. Boukhors reported being drugged and interrogated before being released in the early hours of May 1, 2024. He identified his captors as possibly Roma or Albanian, with one having an Algerian accent, and claimed they were hired by Algerians to transfer him to Spain for eventual extradition to Algeria [Web ID: 0] [Web ID: 2].

Boukhors, who has over 1.1 million followers on TikTok and has been granted political asylum in France since October 2023, faces seven arrest warrants in Algeria on charges ranging from terrorism to fraud, carrying a potential death penalty. His lawyer, Eric Plouvier, stated that Boukhors had previously been targeted in 2022, highlighting a pattern of aggression [Web ID: 1] [Web ID: 11].

Investigation and Alleged Algerian Involvement

The investigation, initially handled by the Créteil prosecutor’s office, was transferred to the PNAT in February 2025, signaling the case’s escalation to a terrorism-related matter. Plouvier described the shift as evidence that "a foreign state, Algeria, did not hesitate to carry out a violent act on French soil through intimidation and terror, endangering a human life." He further called the incident a "state affair," pointing to the arrest of individuals linked to the Algerian regime [Web ID: 1] [Web ID: 4].

The case intersects with another investigation involving a French Ministry of Economy employee, charged in December 2024 with espionage for allegedly providing information on Algerian opposition figures, including Boukhors, to an Algerian consulate official in Créteil. Some of these individuals reportedly faced subsequent violence, death threats, or kidnapping attempts, though direct causality remains unconfirmed [Web ID: 15] [Web ID: 16].

Diplomatic Implications

The charges come amid strained France-Algeria relations, already tense due to recent incidents like the detention of French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal in Algeria and stalled diplomatic reconciliation efforts. The involvement of a consulate employee raises questions about Algeria’s role, with Plouvier asserting that such actions undermine French sovereignty and the safety of political refugees [Web ID: 20]. However, a source cautioned that the investigation might reveal a "hollow case," with the suspects potentially serving as scapegoats [Web ID: 20].

Conclusion

The prosecution of three individuals for the kidnapping of Amir Boukhors marks a significant development in a case that underscores the challenges of protecting political dissidents and navigating international relations. As the investigation unfolds, it may further complicate France-Algeria ties, spotlighting the broader issue of state-sponsored actions on foreign soil.