Algeria canceled France 24’s operator’s license due to the channel’s hostile attitude towards the country, the Ministry of Communications said on Sunday.
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The move was due to the satellite news channel’s “clear and repeated hostility towards our country and its institutions”, said the ministry and government spokesman Ammar Belhimer, in a quote from APS news agency.
The outlet said authorities had issued a final warning to the channel on March 13, over its “coverage of Friday marches” by the protracted Hirak anti-government protest movement.
Ammar Belhimer, communications minister and government spokesman, told Algeria’s official news agency that France 24 had failed to respect journalistic rules and ethics, saying it “increases disinformation and manipulation beyond confirmed hostility to Algeria.”
In a statement on Sunday, the public broadcasting service said it was “surprised not to have received any explanation” for the move.
The French government, which has tense ties with Algiers, did not immediately comment.
The withdrawal of France 24’s accreditation came a day after the North African country held legislative elections, with almost 70% of voters abstaining according to official figures.
It also comes amid growing official pressure on Hirak and a series of arrests of journalists and opposition figures.
In March, the Ministry of Communications warned France 24 about its “blatant bias” regarding protests in Algeria.
In recent months, Belhimer has repeatedly accused the French media of hostility and interference in Algeria’s domestic affairs.
Although former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned in 2019 amid protests against the regime, demonstrations have continued, demanding a review of the ruling system that has been in place since independence from France in 1962.
Authorities say the main demands of the movement have been met and accuse the remaining protesters of working against Algeria’s interests.
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