President of the Republic of Algeria: Freedom of Expression is Guaranteed in Algeria, Provided that Laws of the Republic are Respected

The President of the Republic of Algeria, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, reaffirmed that freedom of expression is guaranteed in Algeria, provided there is respect for the laws of the Republic, the components of the national identity, and the traditions of society.

During his periodic media interview with representatives of the national press, broadcast this Saturday evening on national television and radio channels, the President of the Republic stated that “freedom of expression is guaranteed in our country, provided that the expressed ideas belong to the individual and are not dictated by parties whose purpose is to cause interference, inflict harm, or create division among the components of society.”

In the same context, the President recalled that he had sworn an oath before the Algerian people during his constitutional inauguration to be “an adversary to anyone who dares to undermine national unity or any component of the national identity protected by the Constitution and the laws of the Republic.”

He emphasized that the intervention of the Algerian judiciary in matters related to freedom of opinion is “rare,” noting that “anyone who violates the principles stipulated in the Constitution, Algerian law, and the traditions of society will pay the price, because the judiciary is independent and its duties include preventing defamation and insults.”

After recalling that the laws of the Republic “prohibit delving into files that reopen the wounds of the past,” the President of the Republic reaffirmed that “the chaos that prevailed before 2019 will not return.” He noted that “the mouthpieces of the fifth column, who thought they were protected by external parties employing them, have finally realized they were mistaken and that no entity will be able to protect them.”

The President of the Republic questioned: “How can Western countries, which claim there are restrictions in Algeria and present themselves as models of democracy, punish with imprisonment anyone who sympathizes with the Palestinian cause via social media?”