Algerian parliament passes a controversial press law
The media law that was passed by the Algerian upper house prohibits any media organisation in Algeria from receiving direct or indirect funding or material assistance from foreign sources. It also mandates that media outlets disclose their sources to the judiciary upon prior request, which will limit opportunities for journalists and the media to prepare and publish investigative reports, particularly with regard to files related to public affairs, for fear that doing so may subject them to legal action or reprisals.
This new law also imposes fines on journalists who work for foreign publications or media without the necessary credentials, and prohibits dual nationals from investing or owning a stake in a media organisation in Algeria.
The "Organic Media Law" is composed of 55 articles, and failure to comply with these articles will result in a financial penalty of up to 14,000 euros, in particular for those receiving foreign funding or subsidies. The media will be obliged to prove the origin of investment funds for media and communication.
This amendment was the first issued under the mandate of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune since he took office at the end of 2019. Tebboune justifies this reform by stating that the media have a lot of influence on public opinion, "Article 22 reformed in a consensual manner contributes to preserving the supreme interests of the country, taking into account the influence of the media on public opinion and the interests of the state".
According to the Algerian government, this law aims to "enshrine the freedom and pluralism of the press" and "protect it from all forms of deviation". Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international organisation that monitors press freedom, said the law has "negative chapters" that violate press freedom and impose an "essentially total media silence" in Algeria. Ihanse El Kadi, owner of an independent media outlet, was arrested last December and sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of receiving foreign funding for his media business, the European Union and international media have called for his release, and this is one of the first cases that would be affected and further harmed by this new law. According to RSF's World Press Freedom Index 2022, Algeria ranked 134th out of 180 countries and territories.