Algeria / Middle East & North Africa

ATTACKS ON THE PRESS: 2010 • Main Index Middle East and North Africa: • Suppression Under the Cover of National Security Country Summaries • Egypt • Iran • Iraq • Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory • Lebanon • Morocco • Sudan • Tunisia • Turkey • Yemen • Other nations ALGERIA In September, police…

New York, September 24, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces Algerian authorities’ harassment of two Moroccan journalists who were effectively detained for four days in the town of Tindouf in southwestern Algeria.

ATTACKS ON THE PRESS: 2009 • Main Index MIDDLE EAST and NORTH AFRICA • Regional Analysis:Human rights coverage spreads despite government pushback Country Summaries • Bahrain • Egypt • Iran • Iraq • Israel, Occupied Palestinian Territories • Libya • Morocco • Sudan • Tunisia • Yemen • Other developments ALGERIA Police confiscated a manuscript…

A court in central Algiers indefinitely banned the bimonthly newspaper Sirry Lelghaya (Highly Classified), a supplement of Al-Monaqasa newspaper, as of November 3, 2009. According to local news reports, the vague wording of the decision noted licensing irregularities without providing details. The court’s decision was issued in accordance with the Information Act of 4/4/1990 and the Penal Code. This legislation grants the judiciary…

New York, October 8, 2009—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Algerian authorities to drop charges against journalist and rights activist Hafnaoui Ghoul, who is on trial for writing articles critical of local authorities in Djelfa province. 

Dear Mr. President: The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to protest the rising incidence of press freedom violations, many of which occurred during the recent electoral campaign that resulted in your re-election to a third term.

New York, March 9, 2009–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the provisional release on medical grounds of an Algerian journalist known for his denunciation of corruption under President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, but is concerned that he will need to return to jail to serve a six-month sentence.