The controversy surrounding French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud and his wife, psychiatrist Aicha Dehdouh, has escalated with the revelation of two legal complaints filed against them in the Oran court, Algeria. The complaints accuse the couple of appropriating the life story of Saâda Arbane, a survivor of a brutal 1990s terrorist massacre, as inspiration for Daoud’s 2024 Prix Goncourt-winning novel, Houris.
In a televised interview on the Algerian channel One TV on Friday, November 15, Arbane publicly accused Daoud of drawing heavily on her traumatic experiences for the narrative of Houris. She claims this was done without her consent, violating her privacy and trust.
Survivor's Allegations and the Link to the Novel
Saâda Arbane, who survived a terrorist attack that claimed the lives of her entire family in a village in Tiaret during Algeria’s “Black Decade,” had sought psychiatric care in 2015. Her psychiatrist was Aicha Dehdouh, who is now implicated in allegedly sharing confidential details of Arbane’s case with her husband, Kamel Daoud. Arbane asserts that upon reading Houris, she immediately recognized parallels between her life and the novel’s protagonist, Aube, and felt her deeply personal story had been exploited.
Legal Action and Alleged Violations
According to Arbane’s lawyer, Fatima Benbraham, the first complaint accuses the Daoud couple of a “violation of medical confidentiality,” alleging that Dehdouh provided Arbane’s confidential medical records to her husband. The second complaint charges the couple with “defamation of victims of terrorism” and breaching Algeria's national reconciliation law, which seeks to preserve peace by prohibiting actions that might exacerbate divisions stemming from the civil war era.
Both complaints were reportedly filed in August 2024, shortly after Houris was published, but well before Daoud was awarded the prestigious Prix Goncourt. Benbraham emphasized that the timing was intentional, to avoid accusations of attempting to influence the prize process.
Publisher's Defense of the Author
Kamel Daoud’s publisher, Gallimard, responded to the allegations on Monday, November 18, stating that while Houris was inspired by the tragic events of Algeria’s civil war, its characters and plot are entirely fictional. They also accused certain media outlets of orchestrating defamatory campaigns against Daoud, linking these efforts to political motives associated with Algeria’s regime.
Growing Fallout
This case has sparked significant debate over the boundaries of artistic freedom, ethical storytelling, and professional confidentiality. As the Oran court reviews the complaints, public interest in the case continues to grow, particularly given the high-profile nature of the author and the gravity of the accusations.
The story serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between drawing inspiration from real-life events and respecting the boundaries of privacy and consent, especially when dealing with deeply personal and traumatic experiences.
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