Prosecution appeals again to keep Niger reporter in jail
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Jul 26, 2008, 7:34:42 AM7/26/08
to Democratic Journalists League
NIAMEY (AFP) — Niger prosecutors again appealed Friday against a court
order to free imprisoned Radio France correspondent in Niger Moussa
Kaka, the prosecution service said.
The appeal, hours before a legal deadline for the move expired, came
two days after a senior judge ruled there was no case to answer
against Kaka and ordered the charges dropped.
Kaka, who has been held since September 2007 on a charge of
"complicity to undermine the security of the state" for alleged
contact with Tuareg rebels, will now remain in prison until the appeal
court rules on his case.
The same judge had previously given Kaka a provisional release on June
23, but the prosecutor appealed against that decision.
Kaka, who works for Radio France International (RFI), has been the
subject of a campaign to free him by human rights watchdogs and press
freedom groups.
He was alleged to have spoken to the rebels in phone calls which were
monitored by the state.
A previous judge -- who was subsequently removed from the case -- in
February found that the wiretaps could not be accepted as evidence in
court, but the appeal court overruled him.
President Mamadou Tandja's government refuses any dealings with the
Tuareg rebels of the Movement of Niger People for Justice (MNJ), which
emerged in February last year in the Agadez region of the landlocked,
arid west African country and which has since threatened uranium
mining there.
RFI was taken off the air in March by the Niger authorities for its
support of their journalist, although broadcasts resumed last month.
The government has cracked down hard on all journalists believed to
have had any dealings with the MNJ.
Ibrahim Manzo, manager of the fortnightly Air-Info, has been held
since October 2007 for "criminal association" for suspected links with
the rebels.
In January two French journalists were freed after spending a month
incarcerated on the same charge after they interviewed Tuareg rebels
in the north of the country.
order to free imprisoned Radio France correspondent in Niger Moussa
Kaka, the prosecution service said.
The appeal, hours before a legal deadline for the move expired, came
two days after a senior judge ruled there was no case to answer
against Kaka and ordered the charges dropped.
Kaka, who has been held since September 2007 on a charge of
"complicity to undermine the security of the state" for alleged
contact with Tuareg rebels, will now remain in prison until the appeal
court rules on his case.
The same judge had previously given Kaka a provisional release on June
23, but the prosecutor appealed against that decision.
Kaka, who works for Radio France International (RFI), has been the
subject of a campaign to free him by human rights watchdogs and press
freedom groups.
He was alleged to have spoken to the rebels in phone calls which were
monitored by the state.
A previous judge -- who was subsequently removed from the case -- in
February found that the wiretaps could not be accepted as evidence in
court, but the appeal court overruled him.
President Mamadou Tandja's government refuses any dealings with the
Tuareg rebels of the Movement of Niger People for Justice (MNJ), which
emerged in February last year in the Agadez region of the landlocked,
arid west African country and which has since threatened uranium
mining there.
RFI was taken off the air in March by the Niger authorities for its
support of their journalist, although broadcasts resumed last month.
The government has cracked down hard on all journalists believed to
have had any dealings with the MNJ.
Ibrahim Manzo, manager of the fortnightly Air-Info, has been held
since October 2007 for "criminal association" for suspected links with
the rebels.
In January two French journalists were freed after spending a month
incarcerated on the same charge after they interviewed Tuareg rebels
in the north of the country.
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