Tebboune's visit set for 16 June
After being set for 3 May and cancelled at the request of the Algerian side for reasons that remain obscure, as they have never been officially and publicly discussed or elucidated, it seems that this time the two sides have agreed on the date of 16 June. A source close to the El-Mouradia Palace in Algiers has told us this.
Preparations for this visit, which will last from 16 to 18 June, are being made on the Algerian side under the direction of Major General Djebbar Mehenna, head of the Directorate-General for Documentation and External Security.
The RSF's ill-advised invitation to the reception on May 3
In preparation for this visit, Major General Djebbar Mehenna invited journalist Khaled Drareni, a representative of the non-governmental organisation Reporters Without Borders, to the reception hosted by Tebboune for Algerian and foreign journalists accredited in Algeria on 3 May, on the occasion of International Press Freedom Day. This invitation was made behind the backs of President Tebboune and General Saïd Chengriha, chief of staff of the Algerian army, according to the same source.
According to a witness present at the ceremony, Tebboune turned red when he came face to face with journalist Khaled Drareni. He could barely contain his anger when he received the letter that RSF had sent him from the RSF representative. The contents of the letter were very unpleasant for the ruling regime.
During the meeting that followed the ceremony organised at the International Conference Centre with some twenty journalists, the Algerian president poured out his anger against RSF in the most violent language. This passage was censored before the press conference was broadcast. Only a short excerpt was kept, in which Tebboune minimised the importance of RSF.
For his part, General Chengriha, the army chief of staff, seeing Khaled Drareni among the guests, left as soon as the photo session was over.
General Djebbar Mehenna will have to explain this initiative of inviting the journalist, described some time ago as a "khabarji" (informer) by Tebboune himself and imprisoned on the charge of "high treason". This charge was quickly dropped and the journalist was released thanks to international pressure.
According to our sources, if action were to be taken against the head of external security, it would have to wait until after Tebboune's visit to Paris.