Two Algerian journalists are going to jail because they hurt the governor of Jijel and it's not the first time.
- From: Hakim Talbi <talbidesign@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2008 10:59:03 -0800 (PST)
World's Press Condemns Jail Sentences for Algerian Journalists
The World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum have
protested to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika against the jail
sentences imposed against two leading journalists for a column
criticising a local official.
An appeals court, ruling on Tuesday, 4 March, upheld defamation
convictions against Omar Belhouchet, publisher of El Watan, and
columnist Chawki Amari, and sentenced them to two months in prison. In
addition to the jail sentences, they were ordered to pay one million
dinars (10,000 Euros) in damages to the Prefect of Jijel for comments
made in a column published in El Watan in June 2006.
In a letter to the President, the Paris-based WAN and the WEF said
that criminal law "is a wholly inappropriate means of dealing with the
issue of defamation and that such practice contravenes a number of
international agreements." It called on the President to ensure that
charges were dropped and to "ensure that defamation is decriminalised
in your country as soon as possible."
Mr Belhouchet, the 1994 laureate of the WAN Golden Pen of Freedom, is
a well-known and respected member of the international community of
newspapers and El Watan is a participant in the Arab Newspaper
Development Programme, designed to strengthen independent newspapers
in the Arab world. "The prosecution of Mr Belhouchet and Mr Amari
seriously damages the international reputation of Algeria," said the
letter to the President.
The letter said:
"We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and
the World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications in 102
countries, to vehemently protest the condemnation of Omar Belhouchet,
publisher of El Watan, and columnist Chawki Amari, to two months in
prison for defamation.
"On 4 March 2008, an appeals court in Jijel upheld a lower court
decision against Mr Belhouchet and Mr Amari. In addition to the jail
sentence, they were ordered to pay one million dinars in damages to
the Prefect of Jijel for comments made in a column published in El
Watan in June 2006.
"We respectfully remind you that the criminal law is a wholly
inappropriate means of dealing with the issue of defamation and that
such practice contravenes a number of international agreements. We
believe that a civil award of reasonable damages is adequate and
appropriate relief in all proven cases of defamation.
"We respectfully remind you that Mr Belhouchet, the 1994 laureate of
the WAN Golden Pen of Freedom, is a well-known and respected member of
the international community of newspapers and that El Watan is a
participant in the Arab Newspaper Development Programme, designed to
strengthen independent newspapers in the Arab world. The prosecution
of Mr Belhouchet and Mr Amari seriously damages the international
reputation of Algeria.
"We respectfully call on you to do everything in your power to ensure
that all charges of criminal defamation are dropped. We urge you to
take all necessary steps to ensure that defamation is decriminalised
in your country as soon as possible."
More protests against press freedom violations world-wide can be found
here.
The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper
industry, defends and promotes press freedom and the professional and
business interests of newspapers world-wide. Representing 18,000
newspapers, its membership includes 77 national newspaper
associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives
in 102 countries, 12 news agencies and 11 regional and world-wide
press groups.
Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue
Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax:
+33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail:
lkilman@xxxxxxxxxxxx
.
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