2 April 2007

Alert

Journalist detained for 48 hours, forced to disclose source, for article allegedly defaming police official


Incident details

Thierry Nabyoure

journalist(s)

(MFWA/IFEX) - On 26 March 2007, Thierry Nabyoure, a journalist with the privately-owned, Ouagadougou-based newspaper "San Finna", was detained by police for allegedly defaming Colonel Mamadou Traoré, chief of staff of the National Gendarmerie.

Thierry was forced to disclose his source of information and explain his motive.

MFWA's correspondent reported that Nabyoure was released on 27 March after the stipulated 48-hour period for which the police have the right to detain a person without a court order had expired.

Nabyoure was arrested following a complaint filed by Colonel Traoré over an article published in issue 406 of "San Finna", which reported that Traoré had refused to go on a military training exercise in France.

Meanwhile, professional organisations in the country have expressed concern about the arrest and detention of Nabyoure and are considering the possibility of pursuing an out-of-court settlement.



Source:

Media Foundation for West Africa
PO Box LG 730
30 Duade Street, Kokomlemle
Legon, Accra
Ghana
alerts (@) mediafound.org
Phone: +233 302 242470
Fax: +233 302 221084
 

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Updates to this story

Journalist faces possible jail term in criminal defamation case 8 May 2007

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