(CALP/IFEX) – The editor of the daily “Le Matin” was questioned at the central police station in Algiers on Wednesday 30 January 2002. This followed a summons addressed to “‘Le Matin”s lead editorial staff”. According to “Le Matin”, the police officers were seeking information on the identity of the newspaper’s caricaturist, who goes by the […]
(CALP/IFEX) – The editor of the daily “Le Matin” was questioned at the central police station in Algiers on Wednesday 30 January 2002. This followed a summons addressed to “‘Le Matin”s lead editorial staff”. According to “Le Matin”, the police officers were seeking information on the identity of the newspaper’s caricaturist, who goes by the pseudonym “HIC”. His real name is Baba Ahmed Hicheme. This follows the newspaper’s 5 January publication of a caricature depicting an Algerian army general exchanging all of his medals and decorations for a euro bill. The drawing was titled “Algerians Move to the Euro”.
In all likelihood, the army will launch a legal action for defamation against HIC. Defamation lawsuits were previously launched by the army against several of his colleagues, including Ali Dilem of the daily “Liberté”, Salima Tlemçani of “El Watan” and Sid Ahmed Semiane of “Le Matin”.
