Reporters Without Borders condemns Algerian authorities’ harassment of journalists
Reporters Without Borders says authorities in Algeria are using violent methods to prevent journalists from covering anti-government protests.
JOHANNESBURG, May 19 (ANA) – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is concerned about the violent methods authorities in Algeria are reportedly using to prevent journalists from covering anti-government protests, according to a statement issued by the rights group on its website.
The statement revealed that with less than a month to go before parliamentary elections, many journalists were physically assaulted as police tried to keep them at a distance from the latest demonstrations on May 14.
According to RSF, the protesters are calling for greater freedom and are opposed to parliamentary elections on June 12.
Many journalists were arrested without any grounds, it said.
“Around 15 reporters were arrested while covering the protest in Algiers. They included three – Radio M’s Lynda Abbou, freelance photographer Sid Ahmed Belouchrani (aka Sid Walinés) and the Casbah Tribune’s Khaled Drareni – who were briefly detained several times in the course of the day before finally being arrested and held for eight hours without any explanation,” the statement read.
“Several reporters and photographers, including Agence France-Presse photographer Riad Kramdi, Radio M’s Wided Laouedj, the Casbah Tribune’s Anis Chelouche and Farida Tayeb Cherrad of TariqNews, were also held for several hours after being arrested, to prevent them covering the use of violence to disperse the protesters.”
Souhaieb Khayati, the head of RSF’s North Africa desk, said the intimidation and harassment of Algerian journalists in the course of their reporting was unacceptable.
“They are doing their job, which is to publish photos, videos and accounts. We call on the Algerian authorities to immediately cease this brutal crackdown, which is a complete contradiction of Algeria’s constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
According to the statement, Algeria has fallen 27 places in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index since 2015 and is now ranked 146th out of 180 countries.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher
