President Tebboune’s commitments to enhance professional media in Algeria: Actions match words
By: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- After the journalist Ihsene El Kadi was found guilty by an Algerian tribunal based on compelling evidence of foreign financing of his business, voices of biased condemnation emerged, supported by the embassies of some countries as well as foreign circles that are waging their dirty soft-war, or the fourth generation war, against Algeria by deliberately and willfully providing false information that shapes attitudes and public opinion.
In fact, we did not hear the voices of these embassies when the Palestinian journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, was murdered on May 11th, 2022, by Zionist forces’ fire and then robbed of a dignified burial, as stated by the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in a response to a related question addressed to him by Al Jazeera’s journalist.
Noting that Abu Akleh was murdered when she was reporting on Zionist incursions in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. She was slain while donning a bulletproof vest with the word “Press” on it.
Why didn’t they defend the freedom of expression when a journalist was murdered while carrying out her duties as a journalist? They were, on the other hand, parroting Zionist propaganda.
These henchmen of colonial infamy lack credibility to stand up for democracy and freedom of expression. How long will they maintain their double-standard policies?
Algeria has long regarded the protection and advancement of human rights as a core value in both its domestic and foreign policies. Its attachment to the respect and promotion of human rights has always been a fundamental principle, stemming from the precepts of our noble religion, Islam, which made mankind sacred. Similarly, the North African country complies with the charters it has ratified. It is in tune with international obligations in this area, especially those related to freedom of opinion and expression. In his swearing-in speech, President Tebboune stressed the particular interest he gives to human rights, affirming that “no one will suffer injustice in Algeria.”
Tendentious allegations that Algerian authorities are stifling critical voices are baseless. Contrariwise, Algeria has always sought to protect and promote freedom of opinion, expression, religion, and belief as constitutional principles.
Algerian laws contain provisions that are in line with the international conventions ratified in this field. This is reflected in the fact that these freedoms have been established as constitutional principles. Article 42 of the Algerian Constitution states: “Freedom of conscience and freedom of opinion shall be inviolable. Freedom of worship shall be guaranteed in compliance with the law.”
However, it is the responsibility of the Algerian State to uphold law and order through its institutions in order to maintain stability. In this vein, laws are enacted to be rigorously enforced and respected. Besides, the journalist is justiciable in the same way as other citizens in the event of a misdemeanor or felony being committed. The only safeguard to be scrupulously respected is that no journalist should be condemned because of their works and/or their writings. In a similar spirit, President Tebboune stated, in an interview with French daily l’Opinion, that “no journalist has been arrested for being a journalist”—only for “the breach of public order.”
This is, indeed, El Kadi’s case. According to the irrefutable evidence, the individual in question was charged with receiving funds for political propaganda and harming the security of the state, not for writing critical articles, an activity he pursued freely for years without restrictions.
This kind of “communicating vessel” is far from being limited to a simple case of finances and possible illicit enrichment. In fact, Algeria is a target!
New Algeria, under President Tebboune’s judicious vision and wise leadership, its national and international gains weigh heavily on ignominious traitors with profound rancor towards our fortified Algeria, who are resorting to every means possible to sap its stability and security.
With sure and studied steps and in an exceptional health situation marked by a complex economic crisis, Algeria, under the far-sighted vision of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, was able to win the bet of socio-political stability. In fact, President Tebboune’s 54 commitments were more than just electoral pledges; they represented a national project capable of building a robust, diversified, wealth-generating, and job-creating economy with the aim of strengthening the country’s food security and protecting it from dependence on hydrocarbons. President Tebboune gave birth to the new Republic by putting an end to autocratic excesses and paving the way for a new and promising governance in line with the evolution of society, saving the national state from collapse but also giving birth to the New Republic.
Since then, New Algeria has witnessed very substantial changes reflected in the restoration of the state’s authority, the establishment of a new institutional structure worthy of big democracies, the strengthening of a social policy that protects the most vulnerable classes, the return in force at the international level, in addition to the digital transformation… Once elected, President Tebboune was aware of what awaited him domestically and internationally. He quickly launched institutional, economic, and political projects to change the practice of power and rethink a new democratic model.
Economically, New Algeria has embarked on a very ambitious reform program of its legal framework to boost all-around investments with the aim of achieving economic recovery and installing genuine long-term economic stability and prosperity. This latter is being achieved at different levels thanks to the judicious policy adopted.
Internationally and for decades, Algeria had been absent from the regional diplomatic scene. Although conflicts in neighboring countries posed a serious security threat, Algiers lacked modern and proactive policies to address them. As President Tebboune took office, he reasserted Algeria’s role in addressing regional crises. Subsequently, New Algeria, whose foundations were laid by President Tebboune amidst international changing circumstances, has reinforced its regional and international position, playing a pivotal and pioneering role through its solidarity with the liberation movements in the world. New Algeria is playing a leading and axial geopolitical role in the region based on its long-standing principles. President Tebboune gave new impetus to a disempowered diplomatic apparatus, and in a very short time, he managed to place Algeria on the world chessboard.
As for the sporting events, world organizations hailed the exceptional organization of the multisport events held in Algeria, the last of which the ongoing TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). In fact, the sumptuous and majestic organization illustrates the leading role of our country in all spheres.
In short, New Algeria, under the far-sighted vision of President Tebboune, has experienced, during this period, half of which was under the coronavirus pandemic, significant development and radical transformations. Today’s Algeria can be proud of its pioneering position as a pivotal country. It is laying, as a strong energy partner for all the Mediterranean countries, the foundations of intelligent industrialization and modern agriculture.
Under the leadership of President Tebboune, Algeria has become an attractive country that is able to join the BRICS group. Eager to anticipate tomorrow’s big challenges, President Tebboune has never ceased to surprise us, and the year 2023 will be full of good surprises.
In response to these remarkable achievements, the mercenaries multiplied their desperate and nefarious attempts to destabilize and cast doubt on Algeria’s capabilities. They have turned to all platforms to market their lies and disseminate their vicious plots orchestrated and funded by foreign hostile parties, which are desperately trying to sow chaos and discord with their profound animosity towards our fortified Algeria, its great people, and the achievements made in many fields in record time under the new adopted orientation.
With respect to the media sphere in Algeria, President Tebboune expressed a strong commitment to media and information literacy (MIL) development to enhance media potentialities. He periodically grants interviews to Algerian journalists to discuss the latest developments and topical issues.
Since his accession to power, President Tebboune has instructed the Prime Minister to regulate and regularize the legal situation of electronic media outlets hosted in Algeria in view of the rise of social media, the digitization of content, and the increase in mobile consumption.
Undoubtedly, electronic media play a primordial role in modern society, disseminating information instantly from the source to the recipient. It has a significant place in the statecraft machinery, especially in the age of the information revolution. Since the dawn of the information revolution and the use of electronic media for attaining war objectives by other means, electronic media has been an important element in opinion-making and building, creating heroes & villains, creating monsters & enemies, and defending or demonizing countries. The immense power of the electronic media in creating a popular or mass image was used, subsequently, by Algeria’s enemies and foes seeking to undermine the process Algeria has started for a national sustainable development in a promising New Algeria and influence its positions and interactions with its regional and international environment.
Aware of the pivotal role of professional media in a world where the weapon of information truly and effectively defends the interests of peoples and nations and convinced that the failure to recognize and counter the enemy’s handling of media could lead to unprecedented military and national failures, President Tebboune stressed that these media outlets should enjoy the same rights as other print and audio-visual outlets and benefit from public advertising. Accordingly, a number of electronic media outlets were launched by skilled and talented youth with the aim of covering Algeria’s all-out news in different languages as well as providing audiences with trustworthy and relevant national, regional, and international news, along with business, culture, sport, and scientific stories.
Prior to that, the electronic press had been in search of status and recognition, in particular on the part of the public authorities. Indeed, all the owners of the electronic news website had complained about the absence of a legal framework governing this activity, although it has been tolerated since 2012.
In a related context and firmly committed to the public interest and democratic values, President Tebboune, on multiple occasions, insisted on the imperative to train journalists, put all the means at their disposal, and mobilize all the resources in view of the enormous responsibility placed on their shoulders. In turn, we, as journalists, have pledged to represent the radiant image of Algeria and resolutely respond to the vile and libel campaigns as well as the malicious and virulent conspiracies hatched against our beloved country with the desperate aim of sapping its security and stability with all propaganda’ subversive tools.
Additionally, President Tebboune’s era is marked by the presentation of a large-scale project to realize a media city, “Dzair Media City,” aimed at promoting the audiovisual sector in Algeria through the creation of a global and integrated infrastructure bringing together the key players in the industry, namely, studios of public and private TV and radio channels, the teleport ensuring broadcasting via the most up-to-date technology platforms, and a large data center based on artificial intelligence.
It also provides for a free zone to house the platforms of international social network operators who will resort to this gateway to send their content to Africa, the MENA region, and Europe.
The “Dzair Media City” project will thus make it possible to create a professional environment based on international norms and standards that will encourage audiovisual activity through a better quality of TV and radio services, which will contribute to promoting Algeria’s image.
More recently and in concretization of one of the 54 commitments of the President of the Republic relating to information, the Organic Law on Information was adopted by the members of the Council of Nation during a plenary session chaired by the Speaker of the Upper House of Parliament, Salah Goudjil, in the presence of the Minister of Communication, Mohamed Bouslimani, and the Minister of Relations with Parliament, Basma Azouar.
This law is aimed not only at enshrining the freedom, pluralism, and independence of the press, but also at guaranteeing respect for the rules of professionalism and deontological ethics, which are the basis of democratic practice. The revision of the legislative framework relating to information also aims to organize the national media scene, which requires the establishment of professional rules that meet international standards of journalistic practice, define rights and obligations, and enshrine the values of responsibility.
Amidst the rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICT), the Algerian communication ministerial department is deploying significant efforts, under the guidance of President Tebboune, emanating from his clear-sighted vision, to palliate the shortcomings and dysfunctions recorded in the legislation and the regulations in force through the establishment of new, clear legal frameworks that ensure the full exercise of freedoms and rights and strengthen professionalism.
The new bill stipulates the establishment of the declarative regime, which is based on the simplified application for the creation of media outlets, instead of the licensing regime in force. It also provides for the creation of a regulatory authority for the print and electronic press while overhauling the functioning of the Audiovisual Regulatory Authority (ARAV).
The bill on information also guarantees the right of journalists to exercise their activity free from coercion, pressure, or danger by outlawing any kind of assault or insult while they are performing their jobs. It instructs the proprietors of media organizations to adopt a life insurance policy for the benefit of the journalists dispatched to areas that may endanger their lives. In the same token, the right to refuse to work in the absence of this document is preserved, as it does not constitute a breach of their professional duties.
In addition, the text endorsed the journalists’ obligation to verify the veracity, source, and credibility of information before publishing or broadcasting it by strengthening their right to access to information and the protection of their sources by recognizing their right to professional secrecy and by obliging bodies, administrations, and public enterprises to facilitate access to information in a way that guarantees the citizen’s right to information.
Welcoming President Tebboune’s constant encouragement and unwavering determination to enhance the media landscape in Algeria, prominent journalists and experts, specializing in all spheres of life, feature unmatched reporting and analysis with a view to offering fact-based, uncompromising journalism and fostering a deeper understanding of the Algerian and regional scenes by diving deep with analytical pieces. Subsequently, the quality of media services in Algeria has improved compared to neighboring countries, such as Morocco, which has lost many points in the global index.
Coinciding with 2023’s World Press Freedom Day and faced with this abhorrent selective empathy and double standards that have unveiled deep-rooted undertones of injustice and bias of some Western countries, we are called upon to combat decades’ unchallenged western imperialism, counter this wave of propaganda, misinformation, and fake news aimed at potentially polarizing public opinion against Algeria, as well as disclose the vicious plots orchestrated by hostile parties, which are desperately trying to sow chaos and discord.
More broadly and following the realization, on the ground, of his commitments, “Uncle Tebboune,” as Algerians along with their Arab brothers prefer to call him thanks to his remarkable and honorable principled positions in the service of his people and the Arab nation, has earned the respect and esteem of an entire people, who aspire to live in a new, safe, and prosperous Algeria.
