The London-based satellite channel “Al Magharibia” announced that it had “received a notice from the satellite broadcasting company stating that it would stop broadcasting the channel at the end of August. The company has initiated the termination of the contract under what appears to be official pressure, without adhering to the procedures outlined in the contract between the channel and the company.”
According to a statement issued by the channel: “This notice comes at a time when Al Magharibia is providing special coverage of the presidential elections in Algeria, scheduled for September 7. This decision reminds us of what Al Magharibia faced five years ago during its coverage of the presidential elections on December 12, 2019.”
The channel stated that it “condemns this action, which goes beyond the terms of the contract with the satellite company.” It emphasized that it is “a channel operating in accordance with British laws, holding a license for journalistic work and television broadcasting, and is subject to the regulations of the British media regulatory authority (OFCOM).”
In a similar scenario in October 2019, amid the popular movement and two months before the presidential elections on December 12, 2019, the broadcast of “Al Magharibia” and “Al Magharibia Amazigh” via “Eutelsat,” on the same orbit as the Egyptian satellite “Nilesat,” was suddenly cut off without prior notice.
The channel’s management issued a statement at the time, saying it “made the necessary contacts to understand the reasons behind this inexplicable decision by Eutelsat, headquartered in France. After two days of delays, Eutelsat, through its intermediary company, informed us that it had received an official complaint from the Algerian authorities against Al Magharibia, claiming that the channel does not have a license to broadcast or operate from Algeria.”
At that time, the channel’s management condemned what it described as “the actions of the Algerian regime and all those complicit in this matter.” Following the suspension of its broadcast, the channel’s management launched “Al Hirak TV” as an alternative to Al Magharibia to continue covering the Algerian popular movement on the same satellite. However, less than 24 hours after its launch, it was also shut down while covering the 35th Friday of the popular movement in Algeria.
The channel is being targeted for the second time with the aim of silencing it because it is the only platform that sheds light on the Algerian reality in all its political, human rights, social, and economic dimensions. It serves as a platform for all viewpoints, especially after the crackdown and repression imposed on freedom of opinion and expression in Algeria and the suppression of all critical voices.
The notice to Al Magharibia to stop its broadcast comes within the context of the targeting policy practiced by the Algerian authorities against all critical voices inside and outside Algeria. It is also part of the broader effort to restrict freedom of expression, limit media freedoms, and violate people’s right to know the truth.
