Caricaturist Questioned over drawing Criticizing the Armed Forces

In a letter addressed to the Minister of the Interior, Yazid Zerhouni, Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF - Reporters Without Borders) expressed concern about the questioning of Ali Dilem, caricaturist of the independent daily Liberté, by the criminal investigation department for a drawing that criticized the highest echelons of the military. "They are looking to intimidate all of the press through Dilem. This will be a test case", stated Robert Ménard, Secretary-General of the organization. According to information received by RSF, caricaturist Ali Dilem was questioned on January 25, 2002 by the criminal investigation department for a drawing criticizing the military, which was published in the French language daily Liberté. Dilem was heard after the Minister for Defense lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor of the court of Algiers for the drawing, published on November 29, 2001. The drawing was judged to be "defamatory and contemptuous of high-ranking officers of the military". This first hearing could lead to a trial. According to Ali Dilem's lawyer, Me Khaled Bourayou, "the aim is obviously to intimidate Dilem, to harass him". "I'm convinced I am on the right track, as I say what 30 million Algerians are thinking. If they want to stop me, they'll have to put 30 million people in prison", Dilem said in a statement to Reuters. In May 2001, the Algerian Parliament modified the penal code, introducing harsher sentences and fines for defamation in the press. Reporters Sans Frontières, which condemned these amendments at the time, considered that the text could only serve to increase self-censorship within Algerian editorial teams. A few months earlier, Mohammed Lamari, the Chief of Staff of the armed forces had stated: "You have seen and you will continue to observe, through scandalous writings, caricatures, and other things, outrages and nonsense concerning your armed forces. Our obligation of discretion cannot prevent us from expressing our regret at the contemptible use made of the freedoms so dearly acquired by our people".