Reporters Without Borders roundly condemned the sentences of two and three months in prison which an Algiers court imposed on five journalists with the independently daily Le Matin in libel cases yesterday, as well as a court refusal today to free one of them who was already in prison, publisher Mohamed Benchicou (photo), on health grounds.
Reporters Without Borders roundly condemned the sentences of two and three months in prison which an Algiers court imposed on five journalists with the independently daily Le Matin in libel cases yesterday, as well as a court refusal today to free one of them who was already in prison, publisher Mohamed Benchicou, on health grounds.
"The Algerian courts continue to hound Mohamed Benchicou and his colleagues at Le Matin," the press freedom organization said. "We once again reiterate our call for the release of this journalist, who has been in prison for the past 10 months and whose health, according to his family, has deteriorated sharply. We do not understand why the judicial authorities have refused to approve the prison doctor's request for his transfer to a hospital. And we call on the prison authorities to at least let him be examined by a doctor chosen by the family."
Reporters Without Borders continued: "After managing to close the newspaper, the authorities are now targeting its staff. By sentencing five journalists to prison terms, the state has demonstrated that it is bent on cracking down on the press, making Algeria one of the toughest countries in Africa for the news media."
The organization added: "We appeal to the courts to show reason and moderation. Judges must stop cooperating with those who want to gag the independent press. And the 2001 amendments to the criminal code, establishing prison sentences for defamation and insult, must be rescinded."
Two of the five journalists, Abla Cherif and Hassane Zerrouky, were sentenced to two months in prison in a libel action brought by Mohamed Ali Shoraffa, a businessman from the United Arab Emirates and friend of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, over a series of reports implicating him in embezzlement. The newspaper revealed how Orascom, a company in which he is a shareholder, was awarded a mobile telephone concession.
Youcef Rezzoug and Yasmine Ferroukhi were sentenced to three months in prison for libelling energy and mines minister Chakib Khelil in reports that accused the authorities of using the state oil company Sonatrach to buy luxury apartments for the president's relatives and friends with public funds. Imprisonment of the two journalists has been postponed pending the outcome of an appeal by Le Matin's lawyers.
Benchicou, who has been serving a two-year prison sentence since 14 June 2004, received the same sentences in both cases. His request for release on health grounds was refused by a court today. He was convicted last year of "breaking the law governing exchange control and capital movements" on the grounds that certificates of deposit were found in his luggage at Algiers airport on his return from Paris in August 2003.
Benchicou has been at the centre of a legal saga for months in which he has been the target of many libel complaints.
Le Matin opposed President Bouteflika during his campaign for re-election in April 2004. Previously, in February 2004, Benchicou published a scathing booklet about him entitled, "Bouteflika, an Algerian imposter." A total of 40,000 copies were sold in Algeria.
