(…) it is going to be necessary for us to tell the truth on this May 3rd, 2007: the Algerian press remains one of the most persecuted in the world, and by a political regime which remains one of the worst enemies of liberty in the planet.

World Press Freedom Day

Mohamed Benchicou’s press release

“Tell the truth …”

BenchicouEven if it means dissatisfying forgetful minds, stooge or wincing persons, it is going to be necessary for us to tell the truth on this May 3rd, 2007: the Algerian press remains one of the most persecuted in the world, and by a regime which remains one of the worst enemies of liberty in the planet.

This truth, which seems to me essential at a time when the celebration of the World Press Freedom Day promises to be made, one more time, in hypocrisy and diversion, rests on the recall of at least four cases of abuse which make the glory of Algerian authorities:

1. The daily newspaper Le Matin, for those who would have forgotten it, always remains prohibited from publication. This injustice remains a black slash on the face of the Algerian leaders. Every day which goes by without Le Matin is a day of indignity for it (i.e. the Algerian regime) as for those who try to make skip this unspeakable infanticide. I remind it on each of my meetings with international authorities and I shall never stop reminding it. The battle for the return of Le Matin in newsstands and for the compensations of damage which it was subjected to has only begun.

2. After the pseudo amnesty granted to journalists on July, 2004, trials against the press started again with more hate, as testified by the torments which our friend Arezki Aït-Larbi is suffering from, or our follow members of Chourouk, El-Watan, Liberté, Le Soir d’Algérie , El-Khabar or else the audacious correspondents of the province baited incessantly.

3. The regime has just confirmed its opposition to the decriminalization of violations of the laws governing the press.

4. Not happy to have imprisoned me during two years and shut down the newspaper which I run, the Algerian regime goes to the point of wanting to stifle my feather. It has just put into effect terrible threats over Le Soir d’Algérie which published my weekly column. In front of the retaliation which is being outlined more and more distinctly against this friendly newspaper, and about which I knew, for having been subjected to them - the regime is well-known to me - it was decided to suspend the publication of the column. Indeed, no method seems to be repulsive enough to the regime to impose its censorship.

In brief, the freedom of the press in Algeria is sheltered from no auto-da-fé and it is not useless to repeat it in this May 3rd, 2007. The Algerian political power remains determinedly the enemy of pluralism. National and international opinion must be held more than ever beside the Algerian journalists.

As for me, I reassure my friends and my readers who were numerous to express their worry for me: I shall never yield to censorship or to trickery. After the publication of my new book, in next weeks, and the delivery of Benchicou Prize of the Free Pen in its 2007 edition, on June 14th of this year, we shall meet together thanks to a new editorial initiative.

by: Mohamed Benchicou
Translated into English by D. Messaoudi