The French government defended media freedom and the “right to inform” on Monday as it stood by the France 24 news channel, following fierce criticism from the Algerian government.
Algerian authorities on Saturday threatened to permanently withdraw the media accreditation for the broadcaster because of alleged “blatant bias” in its coverage of the country’s pro-democracy protest movement.
“France defends press freedom everywhere in the world, as well as the safety of journalists and all of those who contribute to public debate,” a spokesperson for the French foreign affairs ministry told reporters.
“The right to information is a fundamental right which needs to be protected everywhere.”
Although former Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down in 2019 in the face of anti-regime protests, demonstrations have continued demanding an overhaul of the ruling system in place since independence from France in 1962.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)…
Source: Guardian Newspaper
