Algeria’s Ministry of Communication this week formally warned the independent daily El Watan, over a front page headline describing parliamentary debate on a new highway code. El Watan reported that senators had said “no” to the bill after the upper house rejected 11 articles and sent the draft back for revision. Reporters Without Borders ranks Algeria 126th out of 180 in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, placing it in the “difficult” category. RSF highlights expanding legal red lines, frequent prosecutions, blocked websites, and a regulatory framework that enables control without overt censorship. In such an unsafe environment for the media, independent international media and reporters are also under attack.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 25, 2026 19:18 UTC