French-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud is facing legal action in France over claims that his novel “Houris” invades the privacy of an Algerian woman who survived a massacre during the country’s civil war in the 1990s.
A source close to the case confirmed on Friday that Saada Arbane, 31, has filed a lawsuit against Daoud, alleging that the book’s main character is based on her real-life experiences without her consent.
Daoud, who won the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 2024 for the novel, has denied the claims. The book, which is banned in Algeria, follows the story of a young woman who loses her voice after an Islamist militant slashes her throat as she watches her family being killed.
A Paris court is scheduled to hold a preliminary hearing on May 7. The summons was delivered to Daoud and his publisher, Gallimard, during a book signing near Bordeaux on Thursday.
While Gallimard has declined to comment, Daoud’s legal team has dismissed the allegations.
Arbane is seeking €200,000 in damages, arguing that Daoud used details from her personal therapy sessions in his book. Her lawyers, William Bourdon and Lily Ravon, described the case as “absolutely exceptional” in legal history.
The lawsuit follows two similar complaints filed against Kamel Daoud and his wife in Algeria, which Gallimard has labelled as part of a coordinated attack.
