Algeria Passes New Law Tightening Control Over Media

Facts

• The Algerian parliament approved on Thursday legislation that imposes new restrictions on media ownership and allows courts to force journalists to reveal their sources, in a move criticized for further restricting press freedom in the country.¹
• Although formal authorization is no longer needed to create a news outlet, local media are now banned from receiving financial or material support from any foreign source, and dual nationals are barred from owning Algerian media in whole or in part.²
• Algerian media outlets that gain foreign funding could face criminal charges and fines of up to $15K, while local journalists working for foreign media without accreditation are subject to fines of roughly $7.6K.³
• Africa's regional media outlet Jeune Afrique reported that a so-called independent regulatory authority will be created under this law to supervise Algerian print and electronic media, with the country's president appointing half of its 12 members.⁴
• The bill, which was approved on March 28 by Algeria's lower house, has drawn criticism from press rights groups on claims that it would institutionalize censorship and discrimination.⁵
• Algeria ranks 134th out of 180 nations on Reporters Without Borders' 2022 World Press Freedom Index. Earlier this month, a court in Algiers sentenced prominent journalist Ihsane El Kadi to three years in prison for 'foreign financing of his business.'⁶

Sources: ¹Barrons, ²Reuters, ³The maghreb times !, ⁴Al Jazeera, ⁵Northafricapost and ⁶The new arab.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Archive. This new legislation will ensure the balance between press freedom and professional responsibility, creating mechanisms to protect journalists, regulate their ethical conduct and prevent foreign interference in the country. This is an important step that the government is taking to promote actual freedom of expression in the Algerian media.
• Narrative B, as provided by Rsf. Though this law may have some beneficial provisions, it's worrisome that the Algerian parliament has enshrined oppressive practices that have been carried out against the media since 2012. The political crackdown on press freedom has now received a legal codification despite violating constitutional rights.