On Sunday, June 13, France 24 had its accreditation in Algeria withdrawn by the Algerian Ministry of Communication. The “manifest hostility” of the channel is questioned by the authorities.
The Algerian Ministry of Communication announced the withdrawal of the accreditation of France 24 in the country on Sunday, June 13. The authorities justified this decision by “manifest hostility” and “failure to respect the rules of professional ethics, disinformation, and manipulation, as well as proven aggressiveness towards Algeria” on the part of France 24.
A decision in the continuity of the Algerian policy against the independent media
Since Abdelmajdid Tebboune came to power, the government has gradually hardened its policy against independent media. The head of state came to power after the fall of Bouteflika, itself provoked by the social movements of spring 2019, mainly led by the Hirak, whose main demand is the dismantling of the regime in place in Algeria since the independence in 1962.
France 24 claims to have always been honest in its news coverage
Faced with this opaque decision of the Algerian government and the absence of more precise explanations, France 24 has, in a press release, assured: “Our coverage of Algerian news is done in transparency, independence and honesty. As is the case everywhere in the world.” The channel had already been warned for its coverage of the Hirak. The withdrawal of its accreditation comes during a weekend of early elections characterized by a participation rate of 30.20%, the lowest score in 20 years. The objective of establishing the legitimacy of the government with this electoral meeting of June 12, therefore, seems to be a failure.
