Journalist's arrest sparks international concern

UNCLAS NIAMEY 001220 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W DENNISON; AF/RSA FOR HARPOLE; AF/PDPA FOR BEDICHEK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO NG SUBJECT: Journalist's arrest sparks international concern REF: (a) Niamey 957; (b) Niamey 970; (c) Niamey 992 ¶1. On September 25 Nigerien journalist Moussa Kaka was charged with violating Niger's national security for alleged collaboration with MNJ rebels fighting against GON forces in the North. Police arrested Kaka on September 20 citing evidence including phone records and recordings of telephone calls between Kaka and members of the MNJ. He has been held in custody since his arrest and was transferred to prison after his arraignment. Local media and international human rights organizations have decried this action as politically motivated. ¶2. Kaka is the director of Radio Sarounia, a private radio station, which also serves as the local affiliate for Radio France Internationale (RFI). On July 19, RFI's broadcast was banned for one month in response to the station's coverage of the MNJ rebellion (ref a). ¶3. Kaka's attorney has mounted a novel defense to the charges, noting that the GON has not officially recognized the MNJ as a rebel movement, and instead characterizes the group as a criminal organization. This may place Kaka's alleged acts outside the scope of the national security statute. Further complicating matters, on September 24, Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja dismissed several federal prosecutors, including the one responsible for Kaka's arrest. The newly appointed successor has not yet indicated how he will proceed in the case, although he did follow through with the arraignment. ¶4. Condemnation of Kaka's arrest swiftly followed, and Niger's private media, journalist associations and international press freedom and human rights watch organizations, including Amnesty International, Reporters without Borders (RSF),the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ),and Federation Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ),have called for his immediate release. These groups maintain that Kaka's prosecution is politically motivated and an attempt by the GON to stifle reporting on events in the North. There are also questions and concerns about the legality of the methods by which the alleged telephone recordings between Kaka and the MNJ were obtained. ¶5. While it is still uncertain how the case will proceed and the quality of the government's evidence against Kaka is unknown at this time, the arrest raises serious concerns of an increasing GON assault on press freedom (ref b and c). ALLEN