French Polynesian president ends restrictions on journalists
(PINA/IFEX) – On 31 March 1999, French Polynesian President Gaston Flosse said he would open his news conferences to all journalists for the first time since 1994, the news magazine “Tahiti-Pacifique” reports. The April edition of “Tahiti-Pacifique” called it a major success for the pro-independence station “Radio Te Reo O Tefana” and a “quite noticeable […]
Three journalists attacked
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing concern further to the attack of three journalists from the television station Télé Bocal. According to RSF’s information, on 24 January 1999, Anne Mazauric, Bastien Mehl and Julien Teruel, reporters and cameramen with the television station Télé Bocal (local station broadcast in Paris’ twentieth district), were attacked while filming a […]
Other Ten political leaders notable for their attacks on free expression to attend twentieth Conference of Heads of State of Africa and France
(RSF/IFEX) – Further to the President of the Republic’s invitation, on Friday 27 November and Saturday 28 November 1998, close to fifty African heads of state, heads of government and foreign ministers will be in Paris to attend the twentieth Conference of Heads of State of Africa and France. Among them will be ten political […]
RSF writes to President Chirac on the eve of his trip to Mexico
(RSF/IFEX) – On 10 November 1998, RSF issued the following press release on the occasion of President Jacques Chirac’s upcoming trip to Mexico: **Updates IFEX alerts of 3 November, 30 October and 19 February 1998** Tuesday 10 November 1998 For immediate release Press Release Mexico Mexico is, along with Colombia, one of the most dangerous […]
RSF and Human Rights Watch appeal to French PM on the occasion of his official visit to China; special concern for Gao Yu’s health
(RSF/IFEX) – On 21 September 1998, RSF and Human Rights Watch sent the following joint letter to French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin on the occasion of his official visit to China: **For background to Gao Yu’s detention, see IFEX alerts and press releases of 30, 22 June, 21, 6 April and 25 March 1998; 20 […]
On the occasion of the Cuban Vice-President’s visit to France, RSF calls on French authorities to push for the release of two jailed journalists
(RSF/IFEX) – Cuban Vice-President Carlos Lage is currently in Paris on a state visit (from 21 to 25 September). On this occasion, RSF is asking his French hosts — President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, Senate head René Monory and Charles Josselin, Foreign Minister and Minister responsible for relations with the Francophonie — to […]
French journalists sentenced
(RSF/IFEX) – According to information made available by RSF on 11 September 1998, on 10 September, the 17th Correctional Court of Paris sentenced Jean-Marie Pontault and Jérôme Dupuis, journalists with the weekly “l’Express”, to pay a 5000 francs (approximately US$835) fine and 50,000 francs (approximately US$8350) in damages. The sentence followed their conviction for “receiving […]
Journalist charged with having “violated trial secrecy”
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is concerned that journalist Claude Ardid has been charged in Toulon. According to RSF’s information, on 5 September 1998, Ardid, of the daily “Var Matin”, was arrested at his home on the orders of Paris court first examining judge Marie- Paule Moracchini. The journalist, along with three other individuals, was charged with […]
“Foreigners without proper papers”: the images the Minister of the Interior no longer wants to see
(RSF/IFEX) – In France, since January 1998, at least twelve journalists have been questioned in connection with demonstrations of support for “foreigners without proper papers” (“sans-papiers”) and operations to escort such people to the border. Ten of these journalists have been photographers or cameramen. In 1997, three photographers were manhandled and questioned by police officers […]
ARTICLE 19 calls on French president to remind Syria of its international obligation to respect freedom of expression
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 8 July 1998, ARTICLE 19 sent a letter to French President Jacques Chirac in advance of the state visit, on 16 and 17 July, of Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad. The letter accompanied a copy of a recent report by ARTICLE 19, titled Walls of Silence: Media and Censorship in Syria. In […]
Journalist charged
(RSF/IFEX) – According to information made available by RSF on 3 July 1998, and as reported by them on 30 June 1998, on the morning of 30 June, journalist Gilles Millet, correspondent for the weekly “L’Evenement du Jeudi,” was arrested at his home by police officers from the national anti-terrorist division of the judicial police […]
Journalist Gilles Millet arrested; documents seized
(RSF/IFEX) – On the morning of 30 June 1998, Gilles Millet, correspondent for the weekly “L’Evénement du Jeudi”, was arrested at his Paris home by police officers from the national anti-terrorist division of the judicial police and held for questioning. Millet’s home was searched, while several documents and address books belonging to the journalist were […]
Three photographers taken in for questioning; police seize equipment of television cameraman
(RSF/IFEX) – On 12 June 1998, free-lance photographer France Keyser, “Le Parisien” correspondent Gilles Picheran, and Jean-Manu Simoes of the Sipa news agency were taken in for questioning at the headquarters of the office concernced with immigration control and illegal employment (Direction de contrôle de l’immigration et de lutte contre l’emploi clandestin, DICILEC), in Paris. […]
Journalist Guy Benhamou target of defamatory statements
(RSF/IFEX) – On 5 and 6 June 1998, a tract containing injurious and defamatory statements against Guy Benhamou, journalist with the daily “Liberation”, was circulated outside of a sports complex in Bercy during a concert by a musical group from Corsica. In the tract, signed by the “Cuncolta section of Paris” (“section de la Cuncolta […]
Journalists detained
(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on the morning of 1 April 1998, Diane Grimonet and Francine Bajande, two news photographers working for the French daily papers “Liberation” and “LâHumanite” respectively, were stopped for questioning while covering a demonstration at the Charles de Gaulles airport in Paris. The demonstration was against the expulsion by plane of […]
Journalists attacked in Paris
(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on 27 February 1998, several journalists of Arabic origin, covering the trial of French writer Roger Garaudy were violently attacked by militants presumed to belong to Betar, the extremist organization of Jewish youth (for information on the trial of Garaudy see IFEX alert dated 22 January 1998). Abdallah Hassan, the […]