23 March 2009

Alert

Authorities harass "El Watan" editor Omar Belhouchet


Incident details

Omar Belhouchet

editor(s)

harassed

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(RSF/IFEX) - On 21 March, 2009, Reporters Without Borders wrote to Justice Minister Tayeb Belaiz and Minister of Postal Services, Information and Communication Technologies Hamid Bessalah, expressing incomprehension at the harassment of Omar Belhouchet, editor of the daily newspaper "El Watan." Belhouchet has been summoned 14 times by the judicial police in recent days for questioning about allegations of defamation.

Defamation is not a police matter. Rather, allegations of defamation should be handled by the courts. Belhouchet's repeated interrogation by the police appears to be an attempt to intimidate him. This is of particular concern as it comes at the launch of the presidential election campaign.

RSF urges the Algerian authorities to put a stop to this kind of harassment.

Updates the Belhouchet case: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/99537



Source:

Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
 

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More on this case

Court hands down three-month sentences to two journalists in defamation case 23 December 2008

Algeria

New media law stifles free expression, says CPJ 26 January 2012 New media bill needs further improvement, says ANHRI 5 October 2011 "Freed" dissident kept in near-isolation 4 November 2010 Two Moroccan journalists released after being held for four days 28 September 2010 See all alerts: Algeria


 
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