Algeria News & Events, Latest News for Algeria

Update: Saturday, 15 May 2010    

Algeria 121st worldwide in freedom of press

According to Reporters sans Frontières:
Wednesday Dec 31 2008.

The NGO, Reporters sans Frontières, Reporters without borders) RSF, has ranked Algeria in the 121st position in terms of freedom of expression during 2008, while indicating that the number of tried journalists decreased compared with the recent years.

In its annual ranking of freedom of press in each country worldwide, RSF said at least 10 Algerian journalists have been tried before justice during ongoing 2008. While resembling the Court of Algiers to a news room because of the growing number of journalists tried before justice; RSF has illustrated its report with an example of the Director of the French speaking newspaper, El Watan, Omar Belhouchet, and editorialist Chawki Amari, who have been charged by the same Court with defamation.

Algeria has been ranked in the 121st position in terms of the respect of journalist’s freedoms, followed by Morocco, a country in which a great number of journalists are put behind bars, while Libya is ranked 166th. RSF assumed that Mauritania is the best among North African countries. However, Tunisia came in the bottom of the list.

According to the RSF report, journalists’ working conditions in Algeria are still precarious, while authorities are not taking into considerations journalists’ claims, in particular, amending information code, which still allows imprisoning journalists.

Home