The "Houris" Controversy: Dr. Aïcha Dahdouh speaks out on the legal dispute

Dr. Aïcha Dahdouh, a psychiatrist and the wife of writer Kamel Daoud, has addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the novel "Houris." She categorically denies allegations of violating professional secrecy or leaking medical files regarding her patient, Saada Arbane, asserting that medical confidentiality remains a fundamental pillar of her practice. Dahdouh explained that the interaction between Arbane and her husband occurred within a social context, following a family wish to document a personal story, and noted that Arbane initially agreed to the book project before withdrawing her consent. Furthermore, she disclosed that her marriage to Daoud has ended due to fundamental disagreements, emphasizing that his views on politics and religion do not represent her own. While expressing her trust in the Algerian justice system, she cited family circumstances as the reason for her inability to attend recent court hearings in Oran. The dispute stems from claims by Saada Arbane that her traumatic history, shared during therapy sessions, was exploited for the novel without her permission—an accusation Daoud rejects, maintaining that his book is a work of fiction.