Goncourt winner Kamel Daoud accused of exploiting war survivor’s story
Kamel Daoud, the Franco-Algerian author who recently won the Goncourt Prize for his novel Houris, is being accused by an Algerian civil war survivor of using her personal story without consent. The allegations, which include claims of breaching medical confidentiality, have sparked legal action in Algeria.
Saâda Arbane, now 30, survived a brutal attack when she was six years old during Algeria's "black decade", between 1992 and 2002.
Her village in Tiaret was raided in 1993, leaving her with a partially slit throat and damaged vocal cords. Many of her neighbours were killed, and her family was decimated
Arbane says she recognised her own life story in the novel’s protagonist, Aube. Daoud published the novel without her permission, she claims, despite her repeated refusals to let him adapt her story.
"I don't like talking about my story, it's something that disturbs me in life," said she told RFI.
Arbane also alleges that her psychiatrist, Aïcha Dahdouh – who is Daoud’s wife – violated medical confidentiality by sharing details of her treatment with her husband.
Legal battle
Daoud and Dahdouh are now facing legal action in Algeria’s Oran court. Arbane’s lawyer, Fatima Benbraham, told RFI that her client has evidence to back her claims.
"If the evidence did not exist, the claim would have been inadmissible," said Benbraham. "My client's rights will never remain violated, by anyone. We want justice."
Read more on RFI English
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