(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the president of Mauritania, Ould Taya, RSF protested the arrest of the editor-in-chief of the weekly “Rajoul Al-Chari'”. RSF asked the president “to use his influence to secure the journalist’s unconditional release and ensure that he is able to exercise his right to free expression, as guaranteed by international […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the president of Mauritania, Ould Taya, RSF
protested the arrest of the editor-in-chief of the weekly “Rajoul
Al-Chari'”. RSF asked the president “to use his influence to secure the
journalist’s unconditional release and ensure that he is able to exercise
his right to free expression, as guaranteed by international treaties.” The
organisation recalled that “prison sentences are considered to be
‘disproportionate’ to the prejudice suffered by victims of press law
violations.”
According to RSF’s sources, Sidi Mohammed Ould Younes was arrested on 11
August 1999 for publishing an article which was critical of the Mauritanian
justice system. The journalist will be tried and could receive a prison
sentence of one to five years.
