On April 27, 2025, the Reykjavík International Literary Festival hosted a special program dedicated to Boualem Sansal, the renowned Algerian author whose works have been banned in Algeria since 2006. This event was part of the festival’s ongoing “Absent Author” series, which honours writers who are unable to take part due to political persecution or imprisonment, and is held in the name of Thor Vilhjálmsson (1925–2011), one of the founding members of the festival.
Sansal, 80, was arrested on November 16, 2024, for his political views and recently sentenced to five years in prison. This unjust conviction has sparked outrage within the international literary community, as Sansal continues to face persecution for his advocacy for freedom of expression.
The program, which took place during the festival, was managed by Sjón, an Icelandic author, poet, and lyricist. As president of Icelandic PEN, Sjón is a vocal advocate for free speech and the protection of persecuted writers worldwide. Helga Soffía Einarsdóttir, a translator, also contributed to managing the event.
Sansal was a guest at the 2023 Reykjavík International Literary Festival, where he spoke about his work and the challenges he faces as a writer. At the 2025 festival, writers and attendees had the opportunity to show their support for Sansal by signing a petition demanding his immediate and unconditional release.
The petition, signed by guests and attendees of the festival, states:
“We, the guests of the Reykjavík International Literary Festival, join PEN International in condemning the sentencing of prominent Franco-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal, 80, to five years in prison and call for his immediate and unconditional release. We are gravely concerned about Sansal’s right to a fair trial and denying him access to a lawyer of his choice. We call on the Algerian authorities to ensure that Sansal has adequate access to medical care, family visits, and a lawyer of his choosing, pending his release.”