MARCH 22, 2005
Posted: April 1, 2005
Radio Télévision Ténéré (RTT)
CENSORED
Police in the western city of Zinder searched the offices of the privately owned broadcaster Radio Télévision Ténéré (RTT) and confiscated a videocassette containing footage of street protests against a new tax on basic foodstuffs, water and electricity. According to RTT officials quoted by the Media Foundation for West Africa, the action was carried out on the orders of Zinder's governor, Abba Mallam Boukar.
The controversial new tax has provoked widespread protests and civil disobedience in the impoverished country. The same day, a group of civil society organizations calling themselves the "Coalition Against Costly Living" had organized a general strike, which nearly shut down the capital, Niamey, according to news reports.
The raid on RTT appeared to be part of a larger crackdown on media coverage of the coalition's activities and views. By the end of the week, five of the coalition's leaders were in jail facing accusations of threatening state security. Several of them had been interviewed on local radio stations; one of the leaders, Moussa Tchangari, who is also a journalist, was arrested after giving an interview to Radio France Internationale (RFI).
MARCH 24, 2005
Posted: April 1, 2005
All Journalists
CENSORED
As part of a wide attempt by authorities in Niger to suppress independent media coverage of protests against a new tax on basic foodstuffs, electricity and water, Interior Minister Mounkaila Modi appeared on state television to warn journalists against covering the activities of a group of civil society organizations calling themselves the "Coalition Against Costly Living."
The controversial new tax provoked widespread protests and civil disobedience in the impoverished country. On March 22, the coalition organized a general strike to protest the tax, which nearly shut down the capital, Niamey, according to news reports. The same day, police in the western city of Zinder searched the offices of a privately-owned broadcaster and confiscated a videocassette containing footage of local protests against the tax.
By the end of the week, five leaders of the coalition were behind bars, facing accusations of threatening state security. Several of the leaders had been interviewed by local radio stations, and had urged religious leaders to pray in order to save Nigeriens from poverty. A government spokesman told the UN's IRIN news service that their statements constituted a "veiled call to rebellion."
MARCH 30, 2005
Updated: April 15, 2005
Radio Alternative
CENSORED
Police in the capital, Niamey, shuttered the offices of the privately run Radio Alternative. No reason was given for the closure, according to a source at the station reached by CPJ, but employees believed it was linked to the March 26 arrest of Moussa Tchangari, who directs the station's parent company, Alternative. The closure came amid attempts by authorities in Niger to suppress independent media coverage of protests against a new tax on basic foodstuffs, water, and electricity.
Tchangari is a leading member of the "Coalition Against Costly Living," a group of civil society organizations opposed to the new tax. On March 22, the coalition organized a general strike that nearly shut down Niamey, according to news reports. Tchangari was arrested after giving an interview to Radio France Internationale (RFI) on the coalition's stance, local sources said.
On March 29, Tchangari and four other jailed leaders of the coalition were charged with threatening national security. Several of the leaders had been interviewed by local radio stations, and had urged religious leaders to pray in order to save Nigeriens from poverty. A government spokesman told the UN's IRIN news service that their statements constituted a "veiled call to rebellion." Tchangari was transferred to Koutoukalé prison, outside of Niamey.
On April 6, a regional court declared the closure of Radio Alternative illegal. The police vacated the stations' premises, and Alternative began broadcasting shortly afterward. On April 7, the five coalition leaders were released from prison, including Tchangari, and the government began negotiations with the coalition on its opposition to the tax.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2005
Posted October 11, 2005
Abdoulaye Harouna, Echos Express
LEGAL ACTION
A court in the northern town of Agadez convicted Abdoulaye Harouna, publication director of the monthly Echos Express, of defaming the local governor, Yahaya Yendaka. The court sentenced him to four months in jail and fined him 520,000 CFA francs (US$950). Harouna reported on alleged corruption in the distribution of food aid during this year's famine in Niger. Harouna remained free because no arrest warrant was immediately issued. He said he planned to appeal.
Harouna told CPJ that Yendaka filed a defamation suit against him after an article accused the governor of corruption in the distribution of aid in the Agadez region. Harouna faces prosecution on another count of defaming Yendaka following an August article in Echos Express, which described a campaign of harassment and intimidation by local authorities against journalists who report on sensitive topics, including food aid distribution.
A second Agadez-based journalist, Hamed Assaleh Raliou, faces at least two charges of defaming Yendaka in June and July, according to local sources. One charge stems from a report filed by Raliou for Radio France Internationale, which alleged that the governor had distributed food aid to military and administrative officials instead of the needy. The second charge stems from a talk show Raliou hosted on the Agadez-based independent station Sahara FM. In the show, local journalists, a union leader, and a teacher criticized the governor for unfairly distributing aid.
NOVEMBER 12, 2005
POSTED: December 2, 2005
Salifou Soumaila Abdoulkarim, Le Visionnaire
IMPRISONED
Salifou Soumaila Abdoulkarim, director of the private weekly Le Visionnaire, was arrested November 12 and placed in preventive detention after State Treasurer Siddo Elhadj filed a defamation suit.
Elhadj brought the suit over an article in Le Visionnaire which accused him of embezzling 17 billion CFA francs (US$30 million) in government funds. A prosecutor ordered that Abdoulkarim be held in preventive detention at police headquarters in the capital Niamey. He was transferred to prison on November 17.
Abdoulaye Massalaki, president of Niger's journalists' union, told CPJ that preventive detention for journalists charged with defamation is allowed under Niger's 1999 press law. Since a prominent journalist was sentenced to six months in jail for defamation in late 2003, local journalists have struggled to reform Niger's media legislation. Maman Abou, director of the private weekly Le Républicain, was granted a provisional release from prison in January 2004.
In September, a court in the northern town of Agadez sentenced Abdoulaye Harouna, managing editor of the monthly Echos Express, to four months in jail for allegedly defaming the local governor, Yahaya Yendaka. However, Harouna remained free because no arrest warrant was immediately issued, according to local sources.
NOVEMBER 12, 2005
Posted: December 8, 2005
Salifou Soumaila Abdoulkarim, Le Visionnaire
IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION
Abdoulkarim, director of the private newspaper Le Visionnaire, was placed in "preventive detention" at police headquarters in the capital, Niamey, after State Treasurer Siddo Elhadj brought a criminal defamation suit against him. Abdoulkarim was transferred to prison on November 17 and denied bail pending his trial.
Abdoulaye Massalaki, president of Niger's journalist union, told CPJ that preventive detention for journalists charged with defamation is allowed under Niger's 1999 press law.
Elhadj brought the suit over an article in Le Visionnaire that accused him of embezzling 17 billion CFA francs (US$30 million) in government funds. On December 2, a Niamey court sentenced Abdoulkarim to two months in jail.