Algeria shuts down Saudi Al Arabiya channel

Algeria has retrieved the accreditation of the Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya channel, claiming it airs fake news.

The Algerian Ministry of Communication said in a statement the move was motivated by “the non-respect by this channel of the rules of professional ethics” and “its recourse to disinformation and manipulation.”

It is unclear what the fake news are. The channel is the second international media forced out of the North African country. In June, Algeria cancelled the accreditation of France 24 due to what it described as a “clear and repeated hostility towards our country and its institutions.”

The French state-run satellite media said the ministry had given the channel a final warning on March 13, over its “coverage of Friday marches”, the long-running Hirak anti-government protest movement.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Algeria 146 out of 180 countries and territories in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index, a 27-place drop from 2015.