Three dailies absent from newsstands after printing operations suspended

Reporters Without Borders has expressed concern over the disappearance of dailies "Le Matin", "Le Nouvel Algérie Actualité", and "El Djarida" from newsstands after failing to settle debts incurred with the state-owned printer. The organisation fears authorities may be using the debts as a fiscal weapon to stifle press freedom. "We are extremely worried about the use of fiscal weapons, which have been successfully exploited in the past, to keep the press in line. Three privately owned dailies are today absent from newsstands. Certainly, it is normal to expect newspapers to settle their debts with the state printers. But it is also essential that the printers be flexible and conciliatory in their attempts to find solutions to the financial difficulties in which numerous privately-owned papers find themselves. It is thus deplorable that the debt repayment schedule proposed by "Le Matin" was refused, leading to its forced publication suspension, which we hope will be short-lived. At a time when the government appears to be prioritising fiscal stability, it is somewhat surprising that they are not more concerned about the debts of those papers close to the ruling party. The jailing of journalists, the rampant use of litigation and the publication suspensions all pose a danger to press freedom in Algeria," Reporters Without Borders said. "Le Matin" has not been available in newsstands since 24 July 2004. The state-run printing company, Société d'impression d'Alger (Simpral), which is demanding 38 million dinars (approx. 500,000 euros) in backpayments for the months of February, March and April, has refused the debt repayment schedule requested by the newspaper. The paper's managing editor, Mohammed Benchicou, has been in prison since 14 June. The on-line edition of "Le Matin" has managed to continue its operations. "The sum demanded of 'Le Matin' represents less than one per cent of the total amount owed by all newspapers to the state printers," "Le Matin" editor-in-chief Youcef Rezzoug told Reporters Without Borders. "The Algerian authorities are relentless in their actions against our newspaper. After imprisoning our managing editor, they got advertisers to boycott our paper, banks to stay away from us, and now, have suspended our printing operations. Only a political decision will resolve this situation. We do not want to hear speeches about press freedom. We want action, and first and foremost, the release of imprisoned journalists." The Arabic-language daily "El Djarida" and the French-language daily "Le Nouvel Algérie Actualité" have also had their printing operations suspended for non-payment of debts.