Kamel Daoud, the recipient of the 2024 Prix Goncourt, faces allegations of using the story of a psychiatric patient, linked to his wife, in his acclaimed novel ‘Houris’ without permission. Two lawsuits have been filed in Algeria, claiming violations of medical confidentiality and defamation. The complaints were lodged shortly after the book’s release, ahead of its award. While Daoud has yet to respond to the charges, his publisher Gallimard has defended him against what they call defamatory media campaigns, asserting that the story is a work of fiction despite its tragic real-life inspirations.