senegal: Radio France Internationale correspondent expelled

23 October 2003

Radio France Internationale correspondent expelled

Sophie Malibeaux, Radio France Internationale (RFI) correspondent in Dakar,
who was served with an expulsion order on 7 October 2003, must now leave the
country.

"We are surprised by this measure taken by the Senegalese authorities. For a
number of years, this country has been an example to follow in terms of
press freedom. The situation is starting to deteriorate in a worrying
manner," said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard in a letter to President
Abdoulaye Wade. "We ask the authorities to cancel the expulsion order
against the RFI correspondent and allow her to carry out her work freely in
Senegal," added Ménard.

On 7 October, Malibeaux was arrested in Ziguinchor in southern Senegal and
transferred to Dakar by airplane. The Interior Ministry informed her at the
time that she would be expelled from the country. The RFI journalist was
finally released just as she was getting ready to enter the departure lounge
at Dakar airport. Nevertheless, the expulsion order was not cancelled and
the journalist was finally forced to leave the country since she can no
longer practice her profession in Senegal.

The authorities have officially accused the journalist of "biased" coverage
of the crisis in Casamance, a region that has faced a separatist rebellion
for more than 20 years.

On 12 October, several local journalists' organisations expressed their
support for Malibeaux and denounced an "escalation of the attacks on press
freedom in Senegal."

--
Reporters sans frontières
Bureau Afrique - Africa desk
[email protected], [email protected]
www.rsf.org
Tel : 33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
5, rue Geoffroy-Marie
75009 Paris
FRANCE

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