Algerian prosecutors' appeal for a tougher sentence against detained French journalist Christophe Gleizes has been rejected by the Court of Cassation, Algeria's highest appeals court, opening the door for a potential presidential pardon. Gleizes, a 37-year-old sports journalist, was arrested in May 2024 and sentenced to seven years for "glorifying terrorism" due to alleged contact with the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK). His lawyers announced the court's decision on Wednesday, noting the withdrawal of Gleizes' own appeal and stating that his fate now rests with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, particularly as Franco-Algerian diplomatic relations have recently improved. Pardons are traditionally issued during Algerian holidays, with July 5, Independence Day, being a possibility.