Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ALGIERS554
2006-03-27 16:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:
UPDATE ON ALGERIAN JOURNALISTS FIRED/JAILED OVER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAS #0554 0861653 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 271653Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0673 INFO RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 6086 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0733 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1192 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1714
UNCLAS ALGIERS 000554
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM AG
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON ALGERIAN JOURNALISTS FIRED/JAILED OVER
DANISH CARTOONS
REF: A. ALGIERS 199
B. ALGIERS 263
1, (SBU) Ref A reported the dismissal of a journalist from
the national French-language television channel (Canal
Algerie),the editor of the noon news program and an
assistant for showing three of the offending Danish cartoons
on television. (Note: In Algeria, all broadcast media are
state-owned.) Post has since learned from media sources that
the latter two individuals were quietly reinstated, but not
to their original positions, and remain in the employ of
national television. However, the main journalist refused a
demotion and has since resigned from Canal Algerie.
2. (SBU) In a new incident that just came to our attention,
we have learned from media sources that Houaria Khatir,
director of national Arabic-language television channel A3,
was definitively dismissed in February for airing footage of
Canal Algerie's coverage as described above.
3. (SBU) Separately, sources in the Algerian union of
journalists told us that the two print journalists identified
Ref B were quietly released March 18 from pre-trial detention
following 34 days behind bars. They remain officially on
administrative leave at their newspapers and are forbidden to
make editorial decisions, even though they are allowed to
write articles for their respective papers. These same
sources told us that neither journalist faces additional
legal sanctions given the inordinate time they spent
incarcerated under pre-trial detention.
ERDMAN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM AG
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON ALGERIAN JOURNALISTS FIRED/JAILED OVER
DANISH CARTOONS
REF: A. ALGIERS 199
B. ALGIERS 263
1, (SBU) Ref A reported the dismissal of a journalist from
the national French-language television channel (Canal
Algerie),the editor of the noon news program and an
assistant for showing three of the offending Danish cartoons
on television. (Note: In Algeria, all broadcast media are
state-owned.) Post has since learned from media sources that
the latter two individuals were quietly reinstated, but not
to their original positions, and remain in the employ of
national television. However, the main journalist refused a
demotion and has since resigned from Canal Algerie.
2. (SBU) In a new incident that just came to our attention,
we have learned from media sources that Houaria Khatir,
director of national Arabic-language television channel A3,
was definitively dismissed in February for airing footage of
Canal Algerie's coverage as described above.
3. (SBU) Separately, sources in the Algerian union of
journalists told us that the two print journalists identified
Ref B were quietly released March 18 from pre-trial detention
following 34 days behind bars. They remain officially on
administrative leave at their newspapers and are forbidden to
make editorial decisions, even though they are allowed to
write articles for their respective papers. These same
sources told us that neither journalist faces additional
legal sanctions given the inordinate time they spent
incarcerated under pre-trial detention.
ERDMAN