(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter addressed to the minister of justice and human rights, Jean Kouakou Brou, RSF protested the charges against Raphaël Lakpé and Jean Khalil Sylla, editor-in-chief and journalist, respectively, of the private daily “Le Populaire”. They were condemned to six months in prison for “distribution of false news” and “acts and manoeuvres […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter addressed to the minister of justice and human
rights, Jean Kouakou Brou, RSF protested the charges against Raphaël Lakpé
and Jean Khalil Sylla, editor-in-chief and journalist, respectively, of the
private daily “Le Populaire”. They were condemned to six months in prison
for “distribution of false news” and “acts and manoeuvres that disturbed the
public order”. RSF reminded the authorities that, even though Lakpé has
served his sentence and should be released on 29 October 1999, the decision
to condemn journalists to prison sentences in cases which involve
press-related matters is considered by the United Nations Commission on
Human Rights as “one of the most reprehensible means to impose silence and,
as such, is a grave violation of human rights”. Robert Ménard, the
organisation’s secretary general, was incensed about the way this affair
evolved. “For several months the two journalists were remanded in custody,
without any sentence being given, in contradiction to the laws of Côte
d’Ivoire. Lakpé had to start a hunger strike so that he would be told the
date of his own trial,” he added. In the end, RSF asked the minister to do
everything possible to assure that Sylla’s prison sentence ends and that he
is released immediately.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 13 September, 27 August, 30 June, 10 June, 4 June
and 2 June 1999**
According to information obtained by RSF, on 28 April, “Le Populaire”
published an article titled: “One student killed, four seriously wounded”.
In actual fact, the student was only wounded after confrontations with
police. The same day, Lakpé was arrested by the national police. The next
day, the newspaper published a correction issued by the authorities. The two
journalists are currently detained in Abidjan’s Arrests and Corrections
House.