The authorities say the film, which was released last month, goes against Algeria’s moral values.

The Reuters news agency quoted an official source as saying that the film "promotes homosexuality and other Western deviances" and that it "does not comply with Algeria's religious and cultural beliefs".

The Barbie film has already surpassed the billion-dollar mark after its 21 July premier.

Some other countries including Lebanon and Kuwait have banned the film on grounds of morality.