PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to keep fighting for the release of a sports journalist held in Algeria.

An Algerian appeals court upheld on Wednesday a seven-year prison sentence for French sportswriter Christophe Gleizes, who was convicted of “glorifying terrorism,” quashing hopes for an early release.

Macron “will continue to take action with the Algerian authorities to obtain his release and his return to France as soon as possible,” his office said in a statement on Thursday.

The French soccer league also called for his release and urged clubs and supporters to relay the appeal.

Gleizes was sentenced six months ago over an interview with a soccer official accused of ties to a banned separatist movement. He was convicted of violating Algeria’s anti-terrori

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