The Algerian Minister of Communication threatened this Saturday the international television channel France 24 with "
definitive withdrawal
" of accreditation because, according to him, of his "
flagrant bias
" in covering the demonstrations of the Hirak pro-democracy movement.
Read also: Algeria: these sympathizers who tire of a Hirak with no political outlet
"
A final warning before final withdrawal of accreditation was sent to France 24,
" the ministry warned in a statement.
"
France 24's bias in covering the Friday marches is flagrant, going so far as to resort without restraint to archival images to backdate them in order to help an anti-national residue made up of reactionary or separatist organizations," with international ramifications
, ”he accused in a violent diatribe.
The Ministry of Communication thus alludes to the Islamist movement Rachad and the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK, independence), both illegal in Algeria.
“
We try to do our job as honestly as possible.
We just do our work as journalists in accordance with the rules in force,
”reacted Marc Saikali, director of France 24, to AFP.
"
We have no bias and even less any agenda intended to harm anyone
," he said.
"Subversive activity"
The Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Ammar Belhimer, summoned the office of France 24 accredited to Algiers to warn him "
against what is akin to subversive activity, illustrated by unprofessional practices hostile to our country
”, specifies the press release relayed by the official Algerian Press Service (APS) agency.
The Algerian government threat against France 24 comes as Hirak supporters have once again taken thousands to the streets every week since the second anniversary of the popular uprising on February 22, after a year of hiatus because of of the health crisis.
The Hirak - a peaceful movement, plural and without leadership - demands the dismantling of the "
system
" in place since independence in 1962, synonymous in its eyes with corruption, nepotism and authoritarianism.
Ignoring the demands of the opposition, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune called early legislative elections on June 12 in order to regain control in the face of the street.
To read also: Pierre Vermeren: "What hides the trial in '' genocide '' made by Algiers and Erdogan to France"
According to the ministry, "
the editorial line (of France 24) is built on slogans hostile to our country, its independence and sovereignty, its security services and its National People's Army
".
"
It strives to regenerate at all costs these counter-revolutionary 'prefabricated upheavals' fomented by NGOs established in Paris and other European capitals
", a reference among others to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Amnesty International.
Foreign media working in Algeria have been subjected for years to a bureaucratic, opaque and arbitrary accreditation procedure.
The director of Agence France-Presse (AFP) for Algeria, Philippe Agret, appointed in October 2019, has still not been accredited by the authorities, without any explanation.
In addition, working conditions remain difficult for Algerian journalists, exposed both to legal proceedings and even to prison terms, like Khaled Drareni, and to the hostility of certain Hirak activists.
"
Baltaguis
"
Friday, during the weekly parade of the popular protest movement, journalists and an activist from Hirak were the target of violent attacks on the part of a group of "
baltaguis
", thugs in the service of the regime who attack. to the hirakists, according to the National Committee for the Liberation of Prisoners (CNLD), an association supporting prisoners of conscience.
In addition, a France 24 team was attacked by members of the procession, according to AFP journalists on the spot.
This is not the first time that demonstrators have expressed animosity towards the media, accused of bias in favor of the regime.
Journalists recruited by French media are also sometimes criticized for being representatives of a country considered to support President Tebboune.
Algeria is in 146th place (out of 180) in the 2020 world press freedom ranking established by RSF, falling 27 places compared to 2015.
