Dozens of people have been questioned in Morocco over accusations of spreading “false rumours” linked to the coronavirus pandemic on social media. In Algeria, police colonel Abdelkader Zighed warned that the internet had become a vehicle for false information that helps “sow confusion”. Algeria is the worst-hit of the three North African countries, with 205 officially declared deaths and 1,572 cases of infection. But the measure only applied to Blida — the main virus hot spot, near the capital Algiers. Some Algerian media outlets have warned of the risks to freedom of press and expression.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 09, 2020 13:30 UTC