Journalist Expelled

An Algerian journalist from the weekly magazine Jeune Afrique was turned away by authorities on Saturday upon arrival at the airport in Algiers and deported to Paris after being questioned about his articles.

Details of the Incident

Farid Alilat explained in a post on his Facebook page on Sunday night that he was held for eleven hours at the police station at the Algiers airport before being deported to France.

Alilat, who is Algerian, has been living in France since 2004 and has a residency card, regularly visiting his home country.

He mentioned, “During the year 2023, I visited Algeria three times for work. I have never been questioned by any authority. My last visit to Algeria was from December 15 to 24, 2023. Again, I entered and left the country without any problems.”

He stated that the police questioned him about his writings, his magazine’s editorial line, the purpose of his trip, and Algerian opposition figures abroad. They also searched his two phones and computer.

Reactions

The Algerian authorities have not commented on the incident.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the “unjustified expulsion” in a statement and denounced it as “an unacceptable hindrance to press freedom.”

Criticism of Jeune Afrique

Jeune Afrique is often criticized by Algerian official media, accusing the magazine of being biased in favor of Morocco, Algeria’s regional rival. Many editions of the magazine have been censored in the country in recent years.