Algeria denounces France’s disinformation campaign
Algeria has denounced recent accusations of escalation as part of France’s disinformation campaign, in a recent diplomatic spat between the two countries.
According to France24, the remarks made on January 11th come after the arrests of multiple Algerian social media influencers, which French authorities accused of inciting violence and hate.
The Algerian foreign ministry said: “Algeria is in no way engaged in a logic of escalation… or humiliation,” accusing extreme right figures in France of “waging a disinformation campaign” against them.
“Doualemn”, a 59-year-old influencer, was detained by French authorities in the city of Montpellier after posting a controversial video on TikTok.
The influencer was allegedly deported to Algeria on January 9th but was sent back to France the same evening as Algeria refused to let the influencer enter.
This follows reports that Bruno Retailleau, France’s interior minister, accused Algeria of trying to ‘humiliate’ France.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot even threatened restrictions to visas or development aid, stating that France would have ‘no option but to retaliate’ if ‘the Algerians continue to escalate’ the row.
The Algerian ministry maintains that their decision was “motivated by the desire to allow [Doualemn] to respond to the accusations brought against him, to assert his rights and to defend himself within the framework of a fair and equitable judicial process on French territory”.
Recent perceptions of France’s disinformation campaign come amidst already high tensions between the former colonial power and former colony, following French president Macron’s call to free Boualem Sansal, the Franco-Algerian writer currently held in detention in Algeria.
The Algerian government dismissed Macron’s comments, calling them ‘an unacceptable intrusion in Algeria’s internal affairs.’
France 24, Anadolu Agency
