French Singer Kendji Girak Turned Away By Algiers Airport Border Police

The border police services of Algiers Houari Boumedienne International Airport prevented the French singer Kendji Girak from entering Algeria after he was due to perform his first concert in the capital with an open-air theater at the invitation of a private company.

 The company “Keral” productions explained, in a press statement, that Kendji Girak’s concert was postponed to a later date, while the tickets that were purchased by the public remain valid for the same date, adding that the reason for the delay is due to administrative reasons that have nothing to do with the artist’s origin and the company that is organizing the concert in Algeria.

For his part, the French artist Kendji Girak posted a video on his official Instagram, from inside Algiers airport “Houari Boumediene”, in which he said he was unable to obtain a visa to enter the Algerian territory.

The news that the French artist was not allowed to enter Algerian territory were controversial and some media sources said that the company did not get the necessary licenses for the concert, which is granted by the Culture Ministry, adding that if a license is granted, an exceptional special visa would have been issued immediately upon the singer’s arrival at the airport, but in the absence of the license, he was forced to leave.

Previously, Keral Productions announced that all 4,500 tickets had been sold, with prices ranging between DZD 3,000 and DZD 5,000.