The European Parliament (EP) adopted Thursday, May 11, 2023 by a very large majority (536 votes for, 4 against, 18 abstentions), an emergency resolution expressing concern about the significant deterioration of press freedom in Algeria since the Hirak protests in 2019 and the harassment of journalists.
Through this resolution, the EP joins several human rights organizations which have questioned the Algerian authorities on many occasions on the case of Ihsane El Kadi which, moreover, is not an isolated case of process of systematic violation of the freedom of the press.
With this in mind, European parliamentarians call on the Algerian authorities to immediately release all those arbitrarily detained and charged with having violated their right to freedom, including the case of journalist Ihsane El Kadi, director of Radio M and Maghreb Émergent, rare independent media in Algeria.
It should be recalled that this journalist, who has been in detention since the end of December 2022, was sentenced to three years in prison on April 2, 2023 for unfounded charges of illegal fundraising, undermining state security and to public order. His company Interface Médias was dissolved and its assets confiscated.
The resolution calls on Algerian authorities to amend security-related charges in the penal code, used to criminalize the right to freedom of expression.
The resolution notes that since the Hirak protests in 2019, the situation of press freedom has deteriorated considerably in Algeria, with the authorities increasingly blocking news and publication sites critical of the government.
The EP urges all EU institutions and Member States to openly condemn the repression of freedom in Algeria, while calling on the EU Delegation and the countries' Embassies to request access to journalists imprisoned and to attend trials.
The EP resolution urges the Algerian authorities to guarantee the issuance of the necessary visas and authorizations to foreign journalists and media so that they can work freely.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) was quick to welcome the adoption of this emergency EP resolution through a publication by its Representative to the EU, Mrs Julie MAJERCZAK, on the same day, May 11, 2023, on the RSF website in the following terms: “With this resolution, the European Parliament shows that it does not intend to remain silent in the face of the repression carried out by the Algerian authorities against the last independent media in the country, even though it is an important economic partner.
While the journalist's appeal trial El Kadi is expected in the coming days, RSF calls on the European Commission and Member States to do everything to ensure that the journalist regains his freedom.
The Algerian authorities must understand that muzzling the media is a dangerous path that will end up doing them a disservice.
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