Journos jailed for defamation
2006-08-14 22:19
Niamey - A court prosecutor in Niger requested on Monday jail terms of 18 months for two journalists accused of spreading false information and defaming the prime minister in an article that accused him of "courting" Iran.
Maman Abou and Oumarou Keita, the publication director and editorial chief of independent weekly "Le Republicain", were arrested on August 4 after publishing an article in July entitled "(Prime Minister) Hama Amadou drops the West for Iran".
The article also questioned whether Niger's prime minister was paying enough attention to respecting human rights or ensuring transparency in the handling of public funds.
In a court hearing in Niamey on Monday held amid tight security, the judge set September 1 as the date for a verdict.
The prosecution requested for each of the defendants a combined jail term of 18 months and fines totalling $136 (about R931).
The state of Niger was also suing the two for $38 800 (about R265 658) in damages, said legal sources.
Overstepping boundaries
During the hearing, the two journalists refused to answer questions and their lawyers walked out of the court in protest against what they said was disrespectful treatment by the judge.
Niger is traditionally close to its former colonial ruler France and other Western powers.
Landlocked and one of the poorest countries in the world, Niger has regularly used its media laws against independent publications regarded by the government or judiciary as overstepping the boundaries of acceptable journalism.
In the last three months, a newspaper has been banned, a private radio station barred from broadcasting and another station served a formal caution.