France… A Selective Democracy: Lessons in Freedom or Disguised Repression?

For centuries, France has prided itself on being the cradle of human rights, presenting itself as the guardian of freedom of expression, and lecturing other nations—especially Algeria—on democracy and press freedom. But behind this idealistic rhetoric lies the harsh reality of a democracy that only tolerates voices that enhance its image while swiftly silencing those who dare to expose its darker chapters.

The dismissal of journalist Jean-Michel Aphatie from RTL radio simply for stating well-documented historical facts about French colonialism in Algeria is an ethical and political scandal that starkly exposes the contradiction between France’s proclaimed ideals and its authoritarian practices.

Selective Memory… A Forbidden Truth

Aphatie’s statements were neither a personal opinion nor a fabrication; they were historical truths backed by scholarly research. When he compared the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre committed by the Nazis in 1944 to the massacres perpetrated by the French army in Algeria, he was not diminishing the horror of Nazi crimes—rather, he was reminding the French public that France itself committed atrocities just as brutal during its colonial rule in Algeria.

Yet, it seems that French democracy cannot bear to see its true reflection in the mirror of history. The mass killings in Sétif, Guelma, and Kherrata in 1945, the systematic use of torture during the Algerian War, the destruction of entire villages—these are all well-documented facts, but they remain conspicuously absent from France’s national memory.

Why, then, are some victims remembered while others are erased from history?

Is a victim’s humanity determined by their nationality?

Conditional Freedom of Expression

The contradiction is glaring: France, which fervently defended the right of Charlie Hebdo to mock religions—turning it into a sacred symbol of freedom—is the same country that punishes a journalist for daring to speak the truth about colonialism.

In reality, freedom of expression in France is not an absolute right but a selective privilege granted to those who align with the official narrative and revoked from those who seek to unveil the reality behind the Republican façade.

When it comes to criticizing religions or foreign nations, freedom of speech is absolute and untouchable. But when it extends to France’s colonial past, that same freedom suddenly becomes a crime punishable by law, the media, and political power.

Double Standards

This issue arises amid rising diplomatic tensions between France and Algeria, with Paris persistently lecturing others on democracy and liberties. But how can a country that silences its own journalists claim to be a model of democracy?

Who gave France the right to act as the moral judge of press freedom in Algeria while it censors its own history?

How can a nation that claims to champion freedom of expression punish those who expose its colonial crimes?

This hypocrisy is not just a political contradiction—it is the continuation of the same colonial mindset: France wants to control the historical narrative and maintain its authority, deciding who is allowed to speak and who must remain silent.

Colonialism Has Not Ended… It Has Changed Form

French colonialism was not just a military occupation—it was a comprehensive racist project, designed to erase Algerian identity and distort its history.

Today, more than sixty years after independence, France continues to impose a new form of colonialism: the colonization of memory.

It seeks to rewrite history in its own way, glorifying the so-called "civilizing mission" while erasing the massacres, honoring French victims while stifling the voices of Algerian ones.

Reconciliation Begins with Truth

No historical reconciliation between Algeria and France will be possible without full and sincere recognition of colonial crimes.

The wound in Algeria remains open because the perpetrator refuses to acknowledge its wrongdoing and insists on imposing silence on those who demand the truth.

Jean-Michel Aphatie is just one voice among many who have tried to break this wall of denial. But France, as it has always done, chose to silence the voice rather than confront the reality.

Does Democracy Only Accept What Suits It?

A genuine democracy does not merely allow free speech when it is convenient; it is, above all, the ability to face its own past, acknowledge its mistakes, and permit all voices to express themselves without restrictions.

Today, France faces a major moral test: Either it remains faithful to its proclaimed principles and allows historical truths to be spoken, no matter how painful, or it continues deceiving itself and the world with a false democratic façade that conceals authoritarian practices beneath its folds.

Fear of Truth… The Other Face of Colonialism

What happened to Jean-Michel Aphatie is not just a media incident—it is a moral revelation of a state that refuses to confront its past.

Colonialism was not just a past event that ended in 1962—it is an ongoing ideological system, one that dictates its own version of history and considers any challenge to its narrative as treason or subversion.

"True democracy means listening to what you hate as much as what pleases you."

If France truly wants to deserve its reputation as a democratic nation, it must start by listening to the voices of the victims it has tried to silence for decades.

Silencing a crime is extending its existence. Acknowledging it is the first step toward genuine reconciliation—not just with Algeria, but with itself.

Those who imprison the truth… imprison freedom.