Does blocking of independent radio stations website herald start of Internet censorship by Algeria?
Reporters Without Borders is disturbed to learn that access to the website of the independent news radio station, Radio Kalima-Algrie (www.kalimadz.com), has been completely blocked for the past two days. At the same time, Eutelsat has stopped carrying the station’s broadcasts on its Hotbird satellite. “We fear that this act of censorship heralds the start of government control of the Internet in Algeria,” Reporters Without Borders said. “We urge the authorities to explain this blocking, which has been carried out in an arbitrary manner, and to order the website’s immediate unblocking. Algeria must not be added to the list of countries that censor the Internet, because the freedom of expression of Algerians would suffer.” The press freedom organisation added: “This case stems in part from the fact that the government has a monopoly of broadcasting in Algeria. We urge the authorities to open up broadcasting for sake news diversity.” Radio Kalima-Algrie’s website began to gradually becom
