Mauritania: concern over seizure of print-runs of four weekly newspapers

To: IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: World Association of Newspapers (WAN), [email protected]

The Right Honourable Lemrabott Sidi Mahmud Ould Sheikh Ahmed
Minister of Interior, Post and Telecommunications
Nouakchott, Islamic Republic of Mauritania
C/o Permanent Representative to UN
Email: [email protected]

27 October 2003

Dear Minister,

We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and the World
Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications in 100 countries, to express
our serious concern at the seizure of the print-runs of four weekly newspapers.

According to reports, during the week of 12 to 18 October, your ministry banned
or seized the print-runs of four weekly newspapers: Le Calame; Le Journal du
Jeudi; Le Sahara; and Essahiva. The ministry provided no explanation for its
actions, although it has frequently invoked Act 91-023 of the Law on Press
Freedom to censure publications perceived to be opposed to the government.
Article 11 stipulates that: 'The circulation, dissemination or sale of
newspapers or periodicals likely to undermine the principle of Islam or the
image of the state, to harm the public good, to compromise public order and
security, whatever the language in which it is written, may be banned by an
order from the Ministry of Interior.'

We are concerned that the seizure of Le Calame, Le Journal du Jeudi, Le Sahara,
and Essahiva is an attempt to silence those who might criticise the government
in the run-up to the 7 November presidential election, for which official
campaigning began on 22 October.

We respectfully remind you that the seizure and banning of publications is a
clear breach of the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by
numerous international agreements, including the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. Article 19 of the Declaration states: 'Everyone has the right to freedom
of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions
without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas
through any media, regardless of frontiers.'

We respectfully call on you to ensure that Le Calame, Le Journal du Jeudi, Le
Sahara, Essahiva and all other publications are permitted to publish without
state interference. We urge you to ensure that in future your ministry fully
respects international standards of press freedom.

We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Seok Hyun Hong
President
World Association of Newspapers

Gloria Brown Anderson
President
World Editors Forum

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