Gallimard returns to the Alger Book Fair with Kamel Daoud's controversial Goncourt Prize-winning novel Houris, amid plagiarism claims and legal battles.
Gallimard returns to Alger Book Fair
The French publisher Gallimard has returned to the International Alger Book Fair, a major cultural event in Algeria, after being excluded for two years due to controversy surrounding Kamel Daoud’s novel Houris. Controversy over the novel
The novel Houris, which won the prestigious Goncourt Prize in 2024, has been at the center of legal and cultural debates in both Algeria and France. Its distribution remains banned in Algeria. Plagiarism accusations
An Algerian woman, Saada Arbane, claims that Kamel Daoud plagiarized her personal story using confidential information she shared with her psychotherapist, Aïcha Dahdouh, who is married to the author. She has filed legal action in both Algeria and France. Author’s response
Kamel Daoud, who lives in France, denies the plagiarism claims, stating that his novel is not based on the life of Saada Arbane. He also faces legal challenges in Algeria, where he is banned from entry and has two international arrest warrants. Legal proceedings ongoing
Aïcha Dahdouh, who is being prosecuted in Algeria for breaching medical confidentiality, has denied any wrongdoing. The Oran court was set to rule on the case but has postponed its decision. She has also publicly distanced herself from her husband’s views on Algeria, Islam, and Palestine. Author’s legal status
Kamel Daoud, who is barred from entering Algeria, claimed in April that he had been sentenced to three years in prison in his native country for addressing the civil war in his novel, which has been translated into 32 languages.
