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Alert

Ruling party MP assaults journalist

(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter to Aly Nouhoum Diallo, president of the National Assembly, RSF expressed its concern about the assault on Chahana Takiou, a journalist with the private biweekly "L'Indépendant", by a ruling party member of parliament (MP). RSF asked the National Assembly president to "make a public statement calling for the punishment of Mr. Mamadou Gassama Diaby". Robert Ménard, the organisation's secretary-general, added: "To our knowledge, Chahana Takiou did nothing more than exercise his right to inform, as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which has been ratified by Mali." RSF also asked the National Assembly president to "call all members of parliament to order, to ensure that such an action does not repeat itself".


According to information collected by RSF, on 30 August 2000, Takiou was assaulted by Mamadou Gassama Diaby, a Democratic Alliance of Mali (Alliance démocratique du Mali, ADEMA, the ruling party) MP. The journalist was preparing a story within the National Assembly chamber when the MP attacked him and began to strangle him. Several persons, including other MPs, intervened to rescue the journalist, who had almost lost consciousness and was admitted to the National Assembly infirmary. He filed a complaint against the MP for "wilful blows and injuries".

Takiou had written an article in "L'Indépendant" titled "Scandal at the National Assembly". The journalist evoked the "crime of political corruption" of an ADEMA party leader who allegedly paid an MP to gain his support for the holding of a ruling party "special conference".