His Excellency Ali Khafi
Chairman of the High Council of State
Algiers
Algeria

Vienna, 4 August 1993

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), representing over 2000 journalists and editors from leading newspapers, magazines and broadcasting organizations and news agencies in 68 countries, is most concerned about the recent suspension of the Arabic-language daily, Al-Djazair al-Youm.

We are informed that the newspaper has been suspended for an indefinite period after printing information which allegedly imperilled “public order, public security and the higher interests of the country.” Since the cancellation of elections in January 1992, Al-Djazair al-Youm and many of the country’s other independent newspapers have been repeatedly suspended for running afoul of the High Council of State.

IPI considers the suspension of newspapers to be in total violation of the individual’s right to “seek, receive and impart information through any media and regardless of frontiers”, as guaranteed by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We therefore strongly urge Your Government to end the suspension of Al-Djazair al-Youm and to allow Algeria’s independent newspapers to publish without further harassment.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director