The afternoon was already drawing on. Sylvie Godard had been talking about her son for over an hour. On Wednesday, July 3, she and her husband Francis welcomed Le Monde into their family apartment in southern Paris to discuss their eldest son's journey. Until then, she had managed to contain her emotions. But then she read a text message received on Sunday, June 29, "at 2:59 in the morning." "Thank you my darlings for everything you have done for me," she began, before faltering. Francis Godard took over, "For the courage and resilience you have shown this year..." He, too, had to pause. The couple passed over the phone. "You will be in my heart tomorrow at the time of the trial. I love you and I'll see you very soon," the message ended.

A few hours later, at the end of the day, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement announcing that journalist Christophe Gleizes, 36, son of Sylvie and stepson of Francis, had just been sentenced by the Tizi Ouzou court in Algeria to seven years in prison, to be served immediately, for "glorifying terrorism" and "possessing publications for propaganda purposes harmful to national interests."

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