Strasbourg, 14/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament calls on Algerian authorities to “immediately release” the journalists sentenced to terms in prison for defamation, to put an end once and for all to the unremitting legal attack on Algerian private media for expressing their beliefs, and to decriminalise press offences. In its joint resolution adopted in Strasbourg on Thursday, the EP calls on the British Presidency to rekindle political dialogue with Algeria and to include the question of freedom of the press on the agenda of the EU/Algeria Association Council. The EP invites the European Commission to continue promoting programmes aimed at strengthening independent media in Algeria, as well as the development of pluralistic information. The EP calls for the question of freedom of the press to be tackled at the next meeting of the interparliamentary delegation for relations with the Maghreb.
Furthermore, MEPs welcome the ratification of the EU/Algeria Association Agreement by the Algerian parliament and the possibility of resuming political dialogue with Algeria once the agreement has been implemented. They stress the importance of the policy towards the Mediterranean countries, with its action plans for strengthening democracy, rule of law and respect of human rights, and especially freedom of the press which, they say, must be taken seriously into account when developing the action plans. The EP considers, above all, that the provisions of the Algerian criminal code of May 2001, which stipulates one is liable to imprisonment for defamation of the president, parliament or any other public institution, are obstacles to the profession of journalist in Algeria. Finally, the EP considers that lifting of the state of emergency would contribute to development of rule of law and respect of the provisions of Article 2 of the Association Agreement. It calls for clear mechanisms for regular monitoring of compliance with this article.
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