The Younsi Case. 1962: Secret Trial and Confession of an FLN Leader in France

Tiresias, Paris, September 2013, 166 pages - ISBN 978-2915293814

A detailed investigation into a little-known episode from the post-Algerian War period: the case of Abdallah Younsi, alias Charles or Mourad, leader of the FLN in the Marseille region and then in Lyon.

After the 1962 ceasefire, suspected of embezzlement and collusion with the French police, Younsi was held captive in Aubervilliers for several weeks before being tried by an FLN tribunal and sentenced to death on French territory.

Einaudi uncovers the inner workings of this internal tragedy within the FLN, revealing the tensions, score-settling and power struggles within the organization after independence.

The author questions the legitimacy of this secret trial which flouted all the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Younsi benefited neither from a fair trial, nor from the presumption of innocence, nor from guarantees for his defense.

Through this story, Einaudi continues his work of historical truth by exploring the gray areas of Algerian history, rejecting any Manichean vision and questioning revolutionary excesses.

This contribution sheds light on the functioning of the FLN and the ambiguities of the post-independence period.