(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Justice Minister Antoine Grothe, RSF called for the immediate release of Maka Gbossokotto, managing editor of the private daily “Le Citoyen” and RSF correspondent in Central African Republic. Robert Ménard, RSF’s secretary-general, recalled that during a meeting with an RSF delegation in January 2000, President Ange-Félix Patassé took it […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Justice Minister Antoine Grothe, RSF called for the immediate release of Maka Gbossokotto, managing editor of the private daily “Le Citoyen” and RSF correspondent in Central African Republic. Robert Ménard, RSF’s secretary-general, recalled that during a meeting with an RSF delegation in January 2000, President Ange-Félix Patassé took it upon himself personally to “ensure that journalists would never be jailed nor any arbitrary measures introduced in the country.” RSF also noted that this arrest is contrary to Article 15 of Law 98.006, relating to freedom of communication, which stipulates that “journalists have the right to investigate freely all facts that concern public life, to discuss the actions and the declarations of all public and private institutions.” Finally, RSF emphasised that in January, the United Nations special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression indicated that “imprisonment as a sentence for the peaceful expression of an opinion constitutes a serious violation of human rights.”
According to information gathered by RSF, Maka Gbossokotto, managing editor of the private daily “Le Citoyen” and RSF correspondent, was summoned to the Bangui police station on the morning of 4 August. After being heard for more than two hours, following a complaint filed by Prosper N’Douba, special advisor to the head of state responsible for communication, Gbossokotto was placed in detention at around 1:00 p.m. (local time) for “insults” and “defamation.” He is accused of publishing a letter from N’Douba addressed to private firms, in the 24 July edition of his newspaper, with the aim of selling them the “new official effigies” of the head of state. Twelve photographs were allegedly offered for the sum of 150,000 CFA Francs (approx. US$211, 250 Euros). “Le Citoyen” published the letter in its entirety under the headline: “A business racket organised by Prosper N’Douba?”
RSF also recalled that on 17 May Cardoso de Meillot, managing editor of the private daily “Le Démocrate”, and Raphael Kopessoua, managing editor of the private weekly “Vouma la mouche”, were given suspended jail sentences of six and three months, respectively, and ordered to pay fines of 100,000 and 125,000 CFA Francs (approx. US$140 and 175, 160 and 210 Euros), for “insulting the head of state”. de Meillot was incarcerated for twenty days before his trial (see IFEX alerts of 22 and 15 May 2000).
