The Regime Insists On Monopolizing the Audiovisual Field, Media Experts

The bill on information that is set for debate in the lower house of the Parliament contains several gaps and yet highlights the obstinacy of the authority to monopolizing rather than liberating the audiovisual field, Media experts and lawyers concluded.

All of Ibrahim Ibrahimi, a professor of law at the University of Algiers, Khaled Brghel, a lawyer, and Azoug Kheir, head of legislative section at the faculty of Journalism of Algiers, say the regime is still not ready to set free the audiovisual field. 

For instance, the head of the authority of regulation of the press, stipulated in the said Bill of Information, is appointed by President of the Republic, and yet will have the last word when it comes to crucial decisions to be taken. Consequently, controversy is yet to be raised over the independence of the decisions made by this body, the experts deplored.

This is a sign that reflects obstinacy of the regime to monitore the “fourth authority.” 

The law experts call MPs to submit amendments on the regulation authority of the press, suggesting instead that its members should be elected by journalists, rather than appointed, and also to take decisions on the majority basis.

The abolition of the article that stipulates the imprisonment of the journalist does not mean that the latter is immune of harassments and pressures while doing his/her job, as the lawmaker changed the prison sentence with a fine of 500 thousand DZD (5000 Euros), which still a kind of pressure that would force the journalist to set himself/herself to auto- censorship.