French prosecutors have placed a finance ministry employee under formal investigation over allegations of espionage for Algeria, the Paris prosecutor’s office said Thursday, amid rising political tensions between France and its former colony.
The employee is accused of leaking details about Algerian asylum seekers, including known opponents of the Algerian government, to a contact at the Algerian consulate in the Paris suburb of Créteil.
The suspect was placed under formal investigation in December. In France, this status indicates there is serious or consistent evidence suggesting involvement in a crime, though it does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial.
The Créteil consulate did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The French finance ministry declined to comment, and the Algerian Embassy in Paris did not provide an immediate response.
The investigation has also led to a formal probe into a social worker at the French Office for Immigration and Integration, who is accused of sharing confidential asylum seeker details and violating professional secrecy rules. The immigration office declined to comment on the ongoing case.
Relations between France and Algeria have soured in recent months after French President Emmanuel Macron recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region, a move that angered Algiers.
As diplomatic tensions escalated, France last month threatened to reconsider a long-standing agreement that facilitates Algerians’ movement to France unless Algeria agrees to take back individuals slated for deportation by French authorities.
