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Alert

Journalist attacked

(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter to Minister of Justice Hassan Abdullah Al-Ghanem, RSF protested the attack on Ahmed Ali, editor-in-chief of the daily "Al-Watan", in Doha. Robert Ménard, the organisation's secretary-general, asked the authorities "to conduct a thorough inquiry to establish the reasons for the attack and punish the guilty parties." The organisation also asked to be kept up to date on the case.




According to information collected by RSF, on 6 June 2001, three men with sharp instruments burst into the head office of the daily "Al-Watan" and hit Ali, the editor-in-chief, in the office. According to a witness, he lost consciousness and lay in a pool of blood. Ali was transported to the hospital, but his condition is stable. According to Reuters, the three men, who were arrested shortly after the incident, are reportedly close to Qatari Energy Minister Abdullah al-Attiyah. Ali is renowned for his scathing articles about the government. He recently criticised the energy minister's proposal to charge people for water and electricity, which have been free for consumers.

For further information, contact Virginie Locussol at RSF, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: middle-east@rsf.fr, Internet: http://www.rsf.fr