Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08NIAMEY196
2008-02-14 14:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:
Update on press freedom in Niger
how-toVZCZCXRO8380 RR RUEHMA RUEHPA DE RUEHNM #0196 0451422 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 141422Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4111 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0654
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000196
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W DENNISON, AF/RSA HARPOLE AND AF/PDPA LISENBY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO NG
SUBJECT: Update on press freedom in Niger
REF: (a) 07 Niamey 1346; (b)
07 Niamey 1220
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000196
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W DENNISON, AF/RSA HARPOLE AND AF/PDPA LISENBY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO NG
SUBJECT: Update on press freedom in Niger
REF: (a) 07 Niamey 1346; (b)
07 Niamey 1220
1. Journalist Ibrahim Manzo Diallo was granted provisional release
from prison on February 6. Diallo is the director of Agadez-based
newspaper Air Info. He was arrested in October 2007 and held in
pre-trial detention on charges of conspiring with the MNJ (ref a).
Although released, Diallo still faces charges. No trial date has
been set.
2. In the case of Moussa Kaka (ref b),jailed director of Radio
Sarounia (the local RFI affiliate),the Court of Appeals on February
12 reversed a lower court ruling barring consideration of alleged
wiretap evidence, and reassigned his case to another judge.
3. The formerly presiding judge had ruled that the wiretap evidence
had been illegally obtained and was inadmissible, and dismissed
charges against Kaka; however, he was held pending a ruling on the
prosecution's appeal. Kaka's lawyer has lodged an appeal with the
Nigerien Supreme Court asking for his client's provisional release.
(Comment: it is widely speculated that the reassignment of Kaka's
case to another judge is a result of political interference in the
judicial proceeding. End comment.)
4. On February 5 a lower court judge confirmed the prison sentences
of two other journalists, Idrissa Soumana Maiga, director of
publication of private newspaper L'Enqueteur, and his editor Ibrahim
Souley. The two were convicted on January 8 under Niger's criminal
libel statute and were each sentenced to one month in jail.
5. The prosecutor in the case asked the judge to reconsider his
ruling, requesting a minimum sentence of one year. The judge's
February 5 ruling reconfirmed the original one month sentence, but
the prosecutor has indicated he will appeal the sentence to a higher
court.
6. Maiga and Souley had been arrested on November 28, 2007, after
publishing a November 19, 2007 article accusing the Minister of
Finance of corruption in awarding a government contract to an
associate. The journalists were held for questioning for 72 hours,
then released. They have remained free pending final resolution of
their case.
ALLEN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W DENNISON, AF/RSA HARPOLE AND AF/PDPA LISENBY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO NG
SUBJECT: Update on press freedom in Niger
REF: (a) 07 Niamey 1346; (b)
07 Niamey 1220
1. Journalist Ibrahim Manzo Diallo was granted provisional release
from prison on February 6. Diallo is the director of Agadez-based
newspaper Air Info. He was arrested in October 2007 and held in
pre-trial detention on charges of conspiring with the MNJ (ref a).
Although released, Diallo still faces charges. No trial date has
been set.
2. In the case of Moussa Kaka (ref b),jailed director of Radio
Sarounia (the local RFI affiliate),the Court of Appeals on February
12 reversed a lower court ruling barring consideration of alleged
wiretap evidence, and reassigned his case to another judge.
3. The formerly presiding judge had ruled that the wiretap evidence
had been illegally obtained and was inadmissible, and dismissed
charges against Kaka; however, he was held pending a ruling on the
prosecution's appeal. Kaka's lawyer has lodged an appeal with the
Nigerien Supreme Court asking for his client's provisional release.
(Comment: it is widely speculated that the reassignment of Kaka's
case to another judge is a result of political interference in the
judicial proceeding. End comment.)
4. On February 5 a lower court judge confirmed the prison sentences
of two other journalists, Idrissa Soumana Maiga, director of
publication of private newspaper L'Enqueteur, and his editor Ibrahim
Souley. The two were convicted on January 8 under Niger's criminal
libel statute and were each sentenced to one month in jail.
5. The prosecutor in the case asked the judge to reconsider his
ruling, requesting a minimum sentence of one year. The judge's
February 5 ruling reconfirmed the original one month sentence, but
the prosecutor has indicated he will appeal the sentence to a higher
court.
6. Maiga and Souley had been arrested on November 28, 2007, after
publishing a November 19, 2007 article accusing the Minister of
Finance of corruption in awarding a government contract to an
associate. The journalists were held for questioning for 72 hours,
then released. They have remained free pending final resolution of
their case.
ALLEN