According to the news in the Algerian official agency APS, the Audio and Visual Authority, which is responsible for monitoring the activities of satellite channels in the country, has stated that the activities of the Al-Hayat channel were temporarily suspended due to “insulting a historical symbol.”
The institution emphasized that the decision came after “insults against the mujahideen (those who fought against the French colony)” by the former deputy who participated in a program broadcast on the channel.
Former Deputy Noureddine Ait-Hammouda accused Emir Abdelkader, who is one of the founders of the country, of “treason and handing over the country to the French army” in a discussion program on the channel on June 18.
Hammouda’s statements caused controversy in the country.
The Al-Hayat management, in a written statement after the incident, noted that the statements were Hammouda’s personal views and did not reflect the stance of the channel.
In the past weeks, the Algerian Ministry of Information announced that the accreditation of the France 24 television channel was canceled due to its open hostility to the country in its editorial work.
Minister Belhimer, who also serves as the Algerian Government Spokesperson, defined the reason for the decision as “France 24’s disrespect for professional ethics, disinformation, manipulations in the media, and its definite hostility towards Algeria.”
