26 August 2003
WIPC LAUNCHES FRANCOPHONE NORTH AFRICA CAMPAIGN
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN (WiPC) is launching a campaign, from 1 to 12 September, focusing on freedom of expression in the francophone North African countries of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The organisation is "deeply concerned about the continued repression of the freedom of expression of writers and journalists" in these countries.
Writers in Algeria continue to be arbitrarily detained for pursuing their work, while freedom of expression in Morocco and Tunisia is also being restricted in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States, notes WiPC. The political climate in which writers carry out their work differs in each country, but "anti-terrorism" initiatives have been launched in all three. "The effect of these measures is that dissenting voices are stifled," says WiPC.
WiPC notes that "draconian measures" have been taken against the Tunisian Internet journalist Zouhair Yahyaoui, convicted in 2002 of charges including "circulating false information" and "non-authorised use of the Internet." Following three hunger strikes in prison, Yahyaoui is reportedly very ill and is not receiving the medical attention that he requires. His imprisonment comes at a time when Tunisia is preparing to host the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in 2005.
In Morocco, WiPC is gravely concerned about imprisoned journalists Ali Lmrabet and Mustapha Alaoui as well as Mohammed el Hourd, Abdelmajid Ben Taher and Mustapha Kechnini, who have been sentenced to between one and three years in prison.
WiPC has prepared background reports on freedom of expression in the three countries as well as protest letters that will be sent to the leaders of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia on 1 September. PEN centres around the world and members of the public are encouraged to send copies of these letters to the relevant embassies and to request meetings with the relevant ambassadors in their countries.
For more information on the campaign, visit: http://www.pen.org/freedom/francophone.htm
Contact Sara Birch, Francophone Africa Research, WiPC, tel: +44 20 7253 3226; Fax: +44 207253 5711; E-mail: sbirch@wipcpen.org; Internet: http://www.internatpen.org/
Visit these IFEX member websites for more information on:
Algeria:
http://www.cpj.org/attacks02/mideast02/algeria.html
http://www.hrw.org/mideast/algeria.php
http://www.rsf.org/country-43.php3?id_mot=142&Valider=OK
Morocco:
http://www.cpj.org/attacks02/mideast02/morocco.html
http://www.hrw.org/mideast/morocco.php
http://www.rsf.org/country-43.php3?id_mot=147&Valider=OK
Tunisia:
http://www.cpj.org/attacks02/mideast02/tunisia.html
http://www.hrw.org/mideast/tunisia.php
http://www.rsf.org/country-43.php3?id_mot=103&Valider=OK
For IFEX alerts on North Africa, visit:
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/1444/
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