10 June 2011

Alert

Journalist detained despite decriminalisation of press law offences


Incident details

Detention

Faustin Bambou, Editor

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(JED/IFEX) – On 6 June 2011, Faustin Bambou, editor of the privately owned daily "Les Collines de l'Oubangui", published in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, was transferred to the Ngaragba prison on the orders of the state prosecutor. He had already spent 10 days in detention at the Research and Investigation Division (Brigade de Recherche et d'Investigation, SRI) for "inciting violence and hatred".

According to JED's sources, Bambou published a series of articles incriminating National Defence Minister Francis Bozizé in a case of embezzlement and diversion of European Union funds intended to compensate retired soldiers and police officers.

JED roundly condemns the arbitrary arrest of Bambou, especially given that the Central African Republic previously decriminalised press law violations.

JED demands the journalist's immediate release and urges the government to respect its own laws.


Source:

Journaliste en danger (JED)
B.P. 633 - Kinshasa 1
374, av. Col. Mondjiba
Complexe Utexafrica, Galerie St Pierre, 1er niveau, Local 18 Kinshasa/Ngaliema
République Démocratique du Congo
direction (@) jed-afcentre.org
Phone: +243 81 99 29 323
Fax: +44 20 7900 3413
 

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From other IFEX members

Editor accused of "inciting violence and hatred" for writing about embezzlement (RSF)

Updates to this story

Judge fines and releases two journalists 14 July 2011 Prosecutor seeks three-year jail terms for detained editors 8 July 2011

Central African Republic

Press Freedom Day presidential pardon for jailed newspaper editor 4 May 2012 Editor sentenced to 10 months in jail on libel charge 27 January 2012 Editor jailed in politicised case 26 January 2012 Judge fines and releases two journalists 14 July 2011 Prosecutor seeks three-year jail terms for detained editors 8 July 2011 See all alerts: Central African Republic


 
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