Algeria Refuses To Grant Visas For French Journalists

Algeria refused to grant a visa to a journalist who works for Le Monde newspaper, and to a group of journalists who work in the cynical program “Le Petit Journal” which is broadcast on the TV channel “Canal Plus”, and who were supposed to accompany the media delegation of the French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, during his visit to Algeria, here on Friday and tomorrow, said the French News Agency,AFP, quoting government sources and other sources from both Le Monde and Canal Plus.

AFP did not specify the reasons for Algeria’s rejection to grant the visa to Le Monde’s journalist, but it said it is caused by the news that were published by the French media about the “Panama papers” case, by including the picture of President Bouteflika in one of the articles that dealt with the case, and this was considered by the Algerian authorities as a “prejudice” Bouteflika as a person.

One of the results of the case was the protest which Algeria expressed for the French authorities, then the French Ambassador to Algeria Bernard Émié was summoned by the FM Ramtane Lamamra, who told the French diplomat that “prejudice against the Algerian President by the French media, in the name of freedom of expression is unacceptable”.

On Thursday, the Algerian government, said, in the words of Interior Minister, Noureddine Badaoui, that the state’s symbols and its constitutional institutions is a red line that can not be bypassed by the French, and continued, saying; “it is our duty as Algerians to refuse prejudice to our symbols and institutions. What was done by the State Department against Paris is considered as an appropriate response”.

Concerning the Canal  Plus cynical program, the cause is likely the “ridiculous” way that is used in the program against senior officials in the state, as it happened twice against President Bouteflika.