France issues visas to Algerian imams for Ramadan despite diplomatic tension

The French government has issued visas to Algerian imams for the period of Ramadan, despite a diplomatic tit-for-tat between Paris and Algiers triggered by a series of controversies that have dominated the political debate. The announcement came in the same week the French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot sought retaliatory visa bans at a European level for senior Algerian officials after a deadly knife attack in which the main suspect is a man of Algerian origin. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has threatened to cancel a longstanding agreement with Algeria on free movement. Every year, the Interior Ministry issues temporary visas to foreign imams due to shortages during Ramadan celebrations . With an estimated six million worshippers, Islam is the second biggest religion in France. After coming under fire from the far right for supposedly lying about his tough stance towards Algeria, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau argued that it would be unfair to hinder religious practice in France as a result of a diplomatic row with Algiers. Ramadan is scheduled to start later this week. "Being firm with migration does not mean one can say anything," Mr Retailleau said. "Hindering freedom of religion would vindicate extremists and cause despair among sincere Muslim patriots." France and Algeria have had difficult relations since Algeria gained independence from France in 1956 after a bloody war, but diplomatic ties have reached new lows in the past months. Last week, an undocumented Algerian-born man killed one person and wounded several others in a knife attack in the eastern city of Mulhouse. France had tried to expel him 10 times before the attack but Algeria had refused to co-operate, French officials said. The foreign affairs ministry said it would restrict visa deliveries to a number of Algerian officials, prompting outrage in Algiers. Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Barrot said that he would seek support from the European Union to co-ordinate visa restrictions for maximum impact. "If a country does not co-operate with the French authorities, I will propose that all European countries restrict the issuing of visas at the same time," Mr Barrot told broadcaster France 2. "When we do it on a national level it doesn't work, unfortunately," he added. More broadly, French authorities are seeking to tighten immigration policies and border controls, in a move emblematic of the rightward shift in French politics. France has also criticised the imprisonment of 75-year old French-Algerian writer Boualem Sensal, known for his heavy criticism of the Algerian government. Mr Sensal was arrested during a visit to Algiers in November, and accused of "undermining national unity". The accusation is believed to be linked to his public support for Morocco's claim that it lost territory to Algeria during French colonisation. In January the French President Emmanuel Macron said Algeria was "dishonouring itself" by keeping Mr Sensal, who suffers from health problems, in prison. Mr Macron prompted a diplomatic crisis with Algeria last summer when he recognised Morocco's territorial claim to Western Sahara, which is disputed by Algeria. Opponents of the Algerian government say Mr Macron's policy shift was followed by an increase in hate speech online. In recent months there have been a string of arrests across France of Algerian nationals accused of publishing videos insulting France and calling for the murder of critics of the Algerian government. But France's attempt to clamp down on such hate speech has further heightened tensions with Algeria. Last month, Mr Retailleau accused Algeria of "humiliating" France after it sent back an Algerian national – a TikTok influencer named Doualemn – following his expulsion to Algeria. On Tuesday a French judge requested a six-month suspended sentence for Doualemn, who told the court that he regretted his actions.

France issues visas to Algerian imams for Ramadan despite diplomatic tension

Religion and migration should not be confused, says Interior Minister