CAR: Journalist released from prison
Judes Zossé, publication director of the private daily newspaper L'Hirondelle (The Swallow) in the Central African Republic, was released from prison on Friday, May 14, under a presidential pardon. He had served more than two months of a six-month sentence for defaming President François Bozizé. On March 12, Zossé was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine for "insulting the head of state" after his newspaper reprinted an article from the opposition news Web site Centrafrique-presse.com. The report alleged that Bozizé, who came to power after a March 2003 coup, had personally taken over the collection of taxes in the country, prompting two senior Treasury officials to contemplate resignation.
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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PRESS RELEASE/UPDATE - CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
18 May 2004
Journalist released from prison
SOURCE: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), New York
**Updates IFEX alerts of 16 April, 12 and 9 March and 26 February 2004**
(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 17 May 2004 CPJ press release:
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Journalist released from prison
New York, May 17, 2004 - Judes Zossé, publication director of the private
daily newspaper L'Hirondelle (The Swallow) in the Central African Republic,
was released from prison on Friday, May 14, under a presidential pardon.
He had served more than two months of a six-month sentence for defaming
President François Bozizé.
On March 12, Zossé was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine for
"insulting the head of state" after his newspaper reprinted an article from
the opposition news Web site Centrafrique-presse.com. The report alleged
that Bozizé, who came to power after a March 2003 coup, had personally taken
over the collection of taxes in the country, prompting two senior Treasury
officials to contemplate resignation.
"The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of Judes Zossé,
but he never should have been jailed in the first place," said CPJ Executive
Director Ann Cooper. "We call on authorities in the Central African Republic
to work toward removing criminal penalties for press offenses."
CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to
safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information about press
conditions in the Central African Republic, visit www.cpj.org.
For further information, contact Africa Program Coordinator Julia Crawford
or Research Associate Adam Posluns at CPJ, 330 Seventh Ave., New York, NY
10001, U.S.A., tel: +1 212 465 1004, fax: +1 212 465 9568, e-mail:
[email protected], Internet: http://www.cpj.org/
The information contained in this press release/update is the sole
responsibility of CPJ. In citing this material for broadcast or publication,
please credit CPJ.
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