Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said on Sunday (September 19th) that a bill was being prepared with the aim of “protect journalists” and of “advancing the media sector”, reports the pan-Arab news site Al-Araby Al-Jadid in its English version.
A project that is already controversial, at a time when censorship is increasingly strong in the country. Under discussion at the Council of Ministers, the project plans in particular to ban external financing or “suspicious sources” newspapers and websites. Parliament is expected to consider the project in the coming weeks.
The National Council of Algerian Journalists has already expressed its dissatisfaction with the project, especially since it was not consulted during its development. Violations of press freedom remain a concern: freedom of expression organizations often report pressure, judicial harassment and arrests. Reporters Without Borders ranks the country at 134e place in the World Press Freedom Index, out of a total of 180 countries.
Very recently a journalist from the Arabic-speaking daily Al-Chorouk was arrested for publishing an article on the deterioration of the quality of Algerian dates. According Al-Araby Al-Jadidnearly 280 activists and dozens of journalists are currently in detention.
The newspaper Freedom, after several years of pressure and financial difficulties, stopped broadcasting in April. The newspaper El Watan, one of the most important titles in the country, is also in danger of disappearing. For several months, the French-language newspaper has been in the grip of great financial difficulties.