Algeria decided on Wednesday to recall its ambassador to France "immediately" for consultations, following the broadcast the day before of television documentaries on the anti-regime protest movement, in a climate of distrust of foreign media.
"The recurrent nature of programs broadcast by French public television channels, the most recent of which on France 5 and La Chaîne parliamentary, on May 26, 2020, seemingly spontaneous and under the pretext of freedom of expression, are in fact attacks against the Algerian people and their institutions "including the army," worthy heir to the National Liberation Army (ALN), "said the foreign ministry in a statement.
Lively debates on social networks
The latter alludes to two documentaries, Algeria Mon Amour and Algeria: The Promises of Dawn , broadcast Tuesday evening respectively on the public service channel France 5 and The Parliamentary Channel (LCP).
The first, from French journalist and director of Algerian origin Mustapha Kessous, sparked lively debates on social media as soon as it was broadcast. It was broadcast live on certain Facebook pages, revealing divisions, notably socio-cultural, which agitated the protest movement.
Algérie mon amour presents in a very free and taboo-free tone the testimonies of five young people - three men and two women from Algiers, Oran and Tizi Ouzou in particular - who participated in "Hirak", the popular anti-regime movement that shook the 'Algeria for more than a year until its recent suspension due to the Covid-19 epidemic. "No comment," reacted Wednesday evening the public group France Televisions, of which France 5 is one of the channels, questioned by AFP.
French Ambassador to Algeria summoned
"This activism where enmity quarrels with resentment, reveals the malicious and lasting intentions of certain circles who do not wish the advent of peaceful relations between Algeria and France, after 58 years of independence, and this in mutual respect and a balance of interests which cannot be the subject of concessions or bargaining, ”accused the Algerian ministry in its press release.
This controversy illustrates for the umpteenth time the volatile nature of relations in Algiers 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 authorities Algerian women. 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.
"Algeria will not accept any interference or guardianship"
At the beginning of the year, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had called, during a meeting with Algerian media, for "mutual respect" in Franco-Algerian relations, saying that "Algeria is not a hunt guarded of France ”. "Algeria with its new generation and leadership will not accept any interference or guardianship," he warned. The Algerian president was then referring to statements by Emmanuel Macron at the start of the "Hirak", when the French president had called for "a transition of a reasonable duration", remarks then considered to be "interference in the affairs" of Algeria.
Finally, this diplomatic heatstroke comes at a time when repression continues to befall opponents, independent journalists and media, as well as Internet users. Algerian justice on Wednesday denied the request for provisional release of journalist Khaled Drareni, in detention since the end of March and who has become a symbol of the fight for press freedom. The Algerian government has blocked several online news sites in recent weeks accused of being funded by "foreign organizations".
Algeria is 146th (out of 180) in the 2020 press freedom ranking by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). It tumbled 27 places compared to 2015 (119th).
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