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Alert

Editor faces prison term

(MISA/IFEX) - On 30 March 2004, the Luanda Provincial Tribunal sentenced Felisberto de Graça Campos, director and editor of the weekly magazine "Semanario Angolense", to 45 days in prison or a fine of US$1,200 for a series of articles published in 2003 that detailed the fortunes of prominent government officials.

Campos's sentence follows defamation charges filed against him by the defence minister, General Kundy Payama, who was included in a list of 59 people believed to be millionaires. The list included politicians, economists, senior military officials, ministers and members of parliament.

Campos was charged under Article 43 of the Press Law, which refers to "abuse of the press", and Article 407 of the Penal Code. He faced a sentence of three to six months in prison under the Press Law, plus an additional four months under the Penal Code.

Campos faces additional defamation charges brought forward by other individuals named in the list, including Mário António, coordinator of the Movimento Popular da Libertação de Angola (MPLA) political party's business interests, MPLA Secretary-General Paulo Julião Dino Metros, Minister for Administration of the National Territory Fautimo Muteca and Chairperson of the African Bank of Investment Mário Palhares.