French journalist Christophe Gleizes marks 500 days in Algerian prison, as loved ones urge presidential pardon

French football journalist Christophe Gleizes has now spent 500 days behind bars, after he was arrested by Algerian authorities in May 2024 and subsequently handed a seven-year prison sentence."Christophe is a sports journalist who found himself caught up in a complex diplomatic situation that goes far beyond his sports reporting. How can it be that writing about football becomes a crime?", childhood friend Pierre de La Saussay told Euronews."His release rests on whether Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune will hand him a pardon", said de La Saussay.Gleizes, a reporter for French magazines So Foot and Society, was sentenced to seven years in June 2025 for "glorifying terrorism" and possessing "publications intended for propaganda that harms national interests." His conviction was upheld following an appeal that December.Gleizes' case has drawn widespread condemnation across the sporting community, with prominent figures rallying behind him. During the 2026 World Cup, football legend Zinédine Zidane pledged his support, saying he would stand by the journalist "as a parent".Meanwhile, on the eve of the tournament, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced that an empty seat had been reserved for Gleizes, describing him as the only sports journalist imprisoned worldwide.The journalist's lawyers have consistently maintained his innocence, arguing that he was simply carrying out his duties as a journalist.