ROME - The 75-year-old French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who was arrested in Algiers in November for being a 'threat to the integrity of the State,' will face trial on Wednesday Dec. 11, potentially without his lawyer, judicial sources say. 

 Sansal is a prolific author who has been nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature, and has frequently criticised Algeria's government in his work, leading to its censure within the country in many cases. He was likely arrested on Nov. 16 for a controversial statement made recently about the nature of the Algeria-Morocco border, speculates Le Monde. 

 But the chances of Sansal facing a fair trial diminish by the second, as his lawyer Francois Zimeray is reportedly being denied entry into Algeria.

 In a statement Zimeray claimed that Algerian authorities have not yet granted him a visa to enter the country, and that even if they were to do so before the trial, 'we would have lost out on any preparation work', he told Le Figaro. 

 He also accused the Algerian authorities of witholding information on Sansal's status from both himself and the writer's family. 

 Sansal's arrest was apparently discovered by friends and family several days after it was carried out, when they realised that the author had given no signs of life in the past few days. They then received notice that he had been detained when his flight from Paris touched down in Algiers, and was taken to Kolea prison. 

 In the last few days various public figures, politicians and activists across Europe have called for the release of Sansal. 

 In Italy, Neri Pozza, whose eponomous publishing company has produced numerous translations of Sansal's work, wrote an open letter to the Algerian Ambassador to Italy. 

 'We all believe deeply in the importance of freedom of expression, justice and the defence of human rights; fundamental principles that should be respected by every government. The actions undertaken against Boualem Sansal violate these universal laws', Pozza wrote. 

 '[I ask that] every possible measure is adopted to ensure his release... [and to be assured that] his arrest will not be used as an instrument of deterrence against those who exercise their freedom of expression'. 

 dabj