2 March 2009

Alert

Journalist El Malick Seck loses appeal, faces three-year sentence for defaming president and his son


Incident details

El Malick Seck

editor(s)

imprisoned

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(MFWA/IFEX) - On 23 January 2009, El Malick Seck, managing editor of "24 Heures Chrono", lost his petition when an appeals court confirmed the three-year sentence meted out to him.

On 12 September 2008, Seck was sentenced for defaming President Abdoulaye Wade and his son Abdoul Karim Wade. The "24 Heures Chrono" newspaper was also suspended for three months on the same offence. Seck's lawyers appealed immediately after the ruling. Seck, who has practiced journalism for 13 years, was found guilty under Article 80, 255 and 258 of the penal code and sentenced to three years in prison for insulting the head of state, publishing false news and indulging in acts which could lead to public disturbances.

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is concerned about the outrageous sentences and heavy fines imposed on journalists and the media in Senegal. These rulings have the tendency of undermining media freedom. MFWA fervently appeals the Senegalese authorities to repeal all repressive laws in the statute books.

Updates the Seck case: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/100295



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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More on this case

Journalist El Malick Seck pardoned 29 April 2009 Jailed editor El Malick Seck again convicted of defaming top Senegalese officials 27 January 2009 Court refuses bail for jailed editor 4 December 2008 Minister sues jailed newspaper editor for defamation 2 October 2008 Following appeal, court exonerates journalist of two offences, but he still faces possible prison term 16 September 2008 Dakar newspaper editor gets three years in prison for libelling president, newspaper suspended for three months 12 September 2008 Jailed editor denied bail 10 September 2008 Police raid and seal "24 Heures Chrono", seize edition, arrest editor; cabinet minister's nephew among those arrested for ransacking two newspapers 2 September 2008

Senegal

Rights activist detained over opposition protests 31 January 2012 Two journalists given suspended prison terms 23 January 2012 Jailed opposition activist receives presidential pardon 19 January 2012 ARTICLE 19 calls for free flow of information in discussions on water privatisation 15 November 2011 Activist sentenced to two years in prison for defaming president 21 October 2011 See all alerts: Senegal


 
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