Algeria recalls its ambassador to France. In the aftermath of the broadcast of documentaries on the anti-regime protest movement, the "Hirak", Algiers decided on Wednesday, May 27, to recall its ambassador to France "immediately" for consultations, the Algerian Foreign Ministry announced. 

"The recurrent nature of programs broadcast by French public television channels, the most recent of which on France 5 and La Chaîne Parlementaire, on May 26, 2020, seemingly spontaneous and under the pretext of freedom of expression, are in fact attacks against the Algerian people and its institutions, including the National People's Army (PNA), "the ministry said in a statement.

"This activism where enmity quarrels with resentment, reveals the malicious and lasting intentions of certain circles, which do not wish the advent of peaceful relations between Algeria and France, after 58 years of independence, and this with mutual respect and a balance of interests which cannot be the subject of concessions or bargaining, "the ministry continued in the press release. 

Lively debates on social networks

The latter alludes to the documentaries "Algeria my love" and "Algeria: The Promises of Dawn", broadcast Tuesday evening respectively on France 5 and The Parliamentary Channel (LCP).

"Algeria, my love", by French journalist and director Mustapha Kessous, sparked lively debates on social media as soon as it was broadcast. It was broadcast live on some Facebook pages. He presents in a very free tone the testimonies of five young people who participated in "Hirak", the popular anti-regime movement, which rocked Algeria for more than a year until its recent suspension due to the epidemic of Covid-19.

"Without comment," reacted Wednesday evening the public group France Televisions, of which France 5 is one of the channels, questioned by AFP.

Repression

Since the start of the health crisis, repression has continued to fall on opponents, independent journalists and media, as well as Internet users. The Algerian government has continued in recent weeks to denounce the influence of "foreign" NGOs on the Algerian media "to break the institutions". 

This controversy illustrates for the umpteenth time the volatile nature of relations in Algeria and the former colonial power. At the beginning of April, the French ambassador to Algeria, Xavier Driencourt, had been summoned to Foreign Affairs, after statements made by a speaker on the international channel France 24, about Chinese medical aid, words which had greatly displeased the Algerian authorities.

The ambassador then replied that "all the press organs enjoy complete editorial independence in France, protected by law". In other words, that the Algerian officials were mistaken for interlocutors.

With AFP

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