French Journalists Stage Silent Protest for Detained Reporter Christophe Gleizes

Overview

• Journalists at France’s World Cup press conference staged a silent protest on Monday by raising scarves and messages to demand the release of Christophe Gleizes.
• FIFA has issued a symbolic press credential in Gleizes’s name and left an empty seat at an official event, gestures highlighted publicly by president Gianni Infantino.
• Gleizes was detained in May 2024 while reporting in Algeria’s Kabylia region and later sentenced to seven years on charges including “glorification of terrorism.”
• Reporters Without Borders is leading an international campaign and has urged World Cup reporters to keep the case visible throughout the tournament.
• Gleizes’s parents have appealed to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and campaigners say sustained publicity could increase diplomatic leverage and raise chances for clemency.