Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NIAMEY230
2009-04-06 15:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:  

NIGER: GON Prosecution of Journalists Continues

Tags:  PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO NG 
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VZCZCXRO0706
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0230 0961535
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061535Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4944
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 3499
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0805
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000230 

DEPT FOR AF/W DENNISON, AF/RSA, DRL/AE, AND AF/PDPA LISENBY

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: GON Prosecution of Journalists Continues

Ref: Niamey 00072
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000230

DEPT FOR AF/W DENNISON, AF/RSA, DRL/AE, AND AF/PDPA LISENBY

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KCOR KPAO NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: GON Prosecution of Journalists Continues

Ref: Niamey 00072

1. On April 1, police arrested Mr. Abibou Garba, owner of private
media group TV/Radio Dounia, on charges of "broadcasting false
information," and transported him to detention at the headquarters
of the Criminal Investigations Department (PJ).

2. Garba's arrest resulted from a debate broadcast on Dounia TV on
March 27 regarding French President Nicolas Sarkozy's Niger visit.
During the debate, civil society leader Elhaj Idi Abdou alleged that
the true motive of Sarkozy's visit was to attend to private business
concerns related to French energy company Areva. Areva board of
directors chairperson Anne Lauvergeon accompanied Sarkozy as an
official member of the delegation. Police had already arrested Elhaj
Idi on March 31 on the same charge. Authorities released Garba and
Idi on April 2 pending trial. No trial date has been announced.

3. In an earlier case, the court of appeals deferred a March 23
ruling on the appeal of Boussada Ben Ali, director of independent
weekly "L'Action." The court convicted Ben Ali on February 6 of
"disseminating information likely to undermine the public order" and
sentenced him to three months incarceration (reftel). His lawyer,
Me Yahouza, was also arrested on charges of "discrediting a court
ruling" for his public criticism of the court's sentence. Rulings
in both the Ben Ali and Yahouza cases are expected on April 13.
WHITAKER