French court overturns deportation order of Algerian social media influencer

​​​​​​​By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) - A French court overturned a decision to deport Algerian social media influencer Boualem Naman, who was accused of spreading hate crimes.

Naman, who is nicknamed "Doualemn," was expelled last month but was returned to France the same day, Jan. 9, by Algerian authorities, triggering diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

The Melun Administrative Court overturned the decision to deport the 59-year-old, who is being held at the Mesnil-Amelot Detention Center.

The court said there are serious doubts about the legality of the emergency procedure used by authorities to deport Naman, according to media reports.

It requested that the governor's office re-evaluate the situation within three months and grant Naman a temporary residence permit.

Algeria previously said Paris did not notify relevant Algerian authorities about Doualemn concerning his arrest or the decision to deport him, in violation of a 1974 consular agreement between the two countries.