Reporters Without Borders deplores a 22 August 2013 court decision to reject newspaper publisher Moussaye Avenir de la Tchiré’s provisional release request.
Reporters Without Borders deplores a 22 August 2013 court decision to reject newspaper publisher Moussaye Avenir de la Tchiré’s provisional release request, dashing any hopes raised by the provisional release of two fellow journalists earlier in the week.
The prosecutor requested a sentence of two years in prison and a fine of 1 million CFA francs (1,500 euros) for De La Tchiré on charges of inciting hatred and inciting a popular uprising. The court postponed a verdict until 29 August.
“The refusal of the release request is very bad news for De La Tchiré, who will soon complete his fourth month in detention,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The two-year sentence requested by the prosecutor, although the minimum for this charge, is absurd and disproportionate.
“The judge must reject the proposed sentence, which would deal a major blow to freedom of information in Chad if passed on this journalist. And De La Tchiré should be freed at once, before any further judicial proceedings.”
De La Tchiré is treasurer of the Union of Chadian Journalists and publishes the newspaper Abba Garde.
