Algeria Rejects France’s Deportation List, Denounces Pressure and Unilateral Measures
Algeria refuses France’s request to deport 60 Algerian nationals, condemning threats and selective application of bilateral agreements while reaffirming consular protection for its citizens.
Watan-Algeria rejected a list of 60 Algerian nationals slated for deportation from France, denouncing the move as unilateral and coercive, according to a statement issued by the Algerian Foreign Ministry on Monday.
Algeria Condemns France’s Approach
The statement emphasized that Algeria firmly rejects any form of threats, ultimatums, or blackmail, and objects to France’s selective approach regarding bilateral and international agreements between the two countries.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry’s Secretary-General, Lounès Magramane, met with the French chargé d’affaires in Algiers on Monday, following a meeting between the Algerian chargé d’affaires in France and French officials on March 14. During that meeting, France formally handed over a list of Algerian citizens facing deportation orders from French territory.
Algeria’s Official Response
Magramane delivered an official diplomatic note to the French envoy, outlining Algeria’s categorical rejection of the deportation request.
Algeria insisted that France cannot unilaterally alter established diplomatic procedures for handling deportation cases. The statement urged France to respect existing channels, which require cases to be processed between French regional authorities and the relevant Algerian consulates. It also reaffirmed that each deportation request must be reviewed individually rather than through blanket measures.
From a legal standpoint, Algeria argued that the 1994 Protocol on Deportation cannot be applied in isolation from the 1974 Consular Agreement, which remains the primary legal framework governing consular relations between the two nations.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that no agreement should be enforced at the expense of the other, particularly when it comes to safeguarding the rights of individuals facing deportation.
Algeria Rejects France’s List in Full
As a result, Algerian authorities have decided not to review the deportation list submitted by France. Instead, they urged the French government to adhere to the established diplomatic procedures and handle deportation cases through the recognized channels between French regional authorities and Algerian consulates.
