Ivory Coast: Concern over health and safety of jailed publication director
Reporters sans frontières (RSF) has expressed deep concern over the deterioration of "Le Venin" ("Venom") publication director Gaston Bony's health. Bony is imprisoned in the Agboville penitentiary, just outside of Abidjan. "The deplorable conditions of [Bony's] detention and a five day hunger strike have considerably weakened him," said the organisation. Bony, who is also a radio host with La voix de l'Agnéby (The Voice of Agnéby), a local radio station, has been in prison since 31 March 2004.
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT UPDATE - CÔTE D'IVOIRE
28 May 2004
RSF expresses concern over health and safety of jailed publication director
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
**Updates IFEX alert of 8 April 2004**
(RSF/IFEX) - RSF has expressed deep concern over the deterioration of "Le
Venin" ("Venom") publication director Gaston Bony's health. Bony is
imprisoned in the Agboville penitentiary, just outside of Abidjan.
"The deplorable conditions of [Bony's] detention and a five day hunger
strike have considerably weakened him. Moreover, he claims to have received
death threats from individuals close to the Agboville mayor. We therefore
urge the Ivoirian authorities to end this appalling and completely
unjustified detention and to guarantee the journalist's safety with respect
to these threats, should they prove to be genuine," said the organisation.
Bony, who is also a radio host with La voix de l'Agnéby (The Voice of
Agnéby), a local radio station, has been in prison since 31 March 2004. He
was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 500,000 CFA francs (approx.
US$927; 760 euros) for defamation, following the publication of an article
entitled, "Agboville Mayor Tetchi Chiedou Claude misappropriates three
million [CFA francs] from radio station's grant to pay for secret services
of a friend".
This is the first time a prison term with no parole has been handed down to
a journalist since Laurent Gbagbo became president in 2000, when he declared
that there would be no more prisoners of conscience in Côte d'Ivoire.
Bony is serving his sentence in very difficult conditions, sharing a tiny
cell with four other prisoners. He expressed disgust over the sentence and
has begun a hunger strike in protest, which has only worsened his physical
condition. He now walks with difficulty and requires a cane to get around.
His family and friends are extremely concerned about him and visit
regularly.
Bony has also been receiving death threats from Agboville Mayor Claude, the
subject of the "Venin" article. According to the journalist, Claude and
individuals close to him have told him, "We will get you, whatever it takes,
unless you're no longer in Côte d'Ivoire. Whether you're in Agboville or in
another part of the country, we will get you." Bony now fears for his life
once he is released.
For further information, contact Jean-François Julliard at RSF, 5, rue
Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45
23 11 51, e-mail: [email protected], Internet: http://www.rsf.org
The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of
RSF. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
RSF.
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