The Council of the Nation has adopted a law aimed at regulating the media in Algeria, with a reservation expressed on article 22, which presents a contradiction in opposition to the expected objectives of this article, according to the complementary report of the commission of the culture, information, youth and tourism at the Council of the Nation. Article 22 requires journalists working for a foreign media in Algeria to have accreditation, setting a 30-day deadline to obtain it, but refers the terms of application of these provisions to the regulations. The committee also considers the 30-day period insufficient.
The law includes several provisions concerning the written and electronic press, replacing the current accreditation regime with a declarative regime to facilitate the creation of media. It also provides for the creation of a regulatory authority for the written and electronic press, a financially autonomous public body. For the audiovisual sector, the text modifies the statutes of the Audiovisual Regulatory Authority (ARAV), giving it a specific character and broadening its missions to regulate and control audiovisual communication services via the Internet.
Protection and fight against irresponsible practices
The law aims to ensure professional media practice by balancing journalistic freedom and professional responsibility. It provides guarantees for the right to freedom of expression and the search for information of journalists, as well as the legal protection of their works. Journalists also have the right not to disseminate information or works that have been substantially modified without their consent.
The law penalizes any violence or intimidation towards journalists and obliges the media to take out insurance for each journalist sent to dangerous areas, allowing them to refuse work in the absence of this insurance without it constituting professional misconduct. To fight against irresponsible practices, the law proposes the creation of a higher council of ethics and professional conduct, responsible for regulating, intervening and drawing up a charter for responsible journalistic practice.
The text of the law excludes holders of dirty money from investing in the press, obliging the media to declare the source of their financing and to justify the possession of national capital. It also prohibits direct or indirect financing by foreign parties. Offenses committed within the framework of the information activity are punishable by fines ranging from 100,000 DA to 2 million DA, the permanent closure of the premises and the confiscation of equipment.
The law maintains the statute of limitations for public and civil actions relating to written, electronic and audiovisual press offenses after 6 months, “involving the responsibility of the natural person for offenses committed in the context of the exercise of the activity”.
