Two journalists freed after being held for two months

Clément Adéchian, the publisher if the privately-owned daily L'Informateur, and Cécil Adjévi, his editor, were released on 9 February after paying 5 million CFA francs (7,520 euros) in damages. ____________________________ 05.12.2006 - Two journalists sentenced to six months jail for “defamation” Reporters Without Borders expressed shock at a six-month prison sentence handed down to publisher Clément Adéchian and editor Cécil Adjévi, of the privately-owned daily L'Informateur, together with a fine of 500,000 FCFA (752 euros) for “defamation”. The two journalists were arrested and sentenced on 1st December on the basis of a complaint from a bailiff, Maxime Bankolé, who had been accused of rape in an edition of L'Informateur, an accusation for which the journalists were unable to produce any evidence. They were immediately taken to the Cotonou civilian prison and their lawyer has appealed against the sentence. “Apart from the fact that it gives a political aspect to something which was just a crime story, the severity of this sentence does not in any way constitute an appropriate response to a journalistic mistake,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said. “We have said it often enough: the supervision of the press should be left to media regulatory bodies and not to the criminal law, because prison has a symbolic meaning which effectiveness is inversely proportional to the punishment of equals. Since this is the second case in which journalists have been imprisoned since Boni Yayi became president, we believe it is time to reform the law,” it added. In a statement released on 4 December, the national council of press and broadcast employers (CNPA) and the Benin journalists' union (UPMB) said that it was “always bad for the image of our country and for the consolidation of our democracy to send journalists to prison just for articles they have written” and appealed for “leniency from the judicial authorities and the understanding of the political authorities.”