New York, September 1, 2005—Journalist Michaël Didama, speaking from his prison cell in the Chadian capital N’Djamena, today denounced his detention as illegal and called on local and international journalists to keep up pressure for the release of all four reporters jailed by the government since July. “This is a crackdown on the press. There…
New York, August 24, 2005—Chad lifted a ban on Tuesday on Radio Brakos which was taken off air three months ago for reports critical of government and military officials, station director Tchanguis Vatankah told CPJ. He said the station would resume broadcasting in the remote southern town of Moissala shortly but would join this week’s…
New York, August 15, 2005—A Chadian journalist was sentenced to one year in prison today for “inciting hatred”, the fourth reporter jailed in a month in what local journalists called a growing crackdown on the independent press. A court in the capital N’Djamena convicted Sy Koumbo Singa Gali, publication director of the privately-owned weekly L’Observateur,…
AUGUST 15, 2005 Updated: October17, 2005 Sy Koumbo Singa Gali, L’ObservateurGarondé Djarma, freelance IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION Chadian journalist Sy Koumbo Singa Gali was sentenced to one year in prison for “inciting hatred,” the fourth reporter jailed in a month in what local journalists called a growing crackdown on the independent press.
New York, August 8, 2005—Michaël Didama, director of the private weekly Le Temps, was convicted on charges of defamation and incitement to hatred today and sentenced to six months in jail in connection with articles describing rebel groups in eastern Chad, according to local sources. The charges stemmed from May articles in Le Temps, one…
AUGUST 8, 2005 Updated: October 17, 2005 Michaël Didama, Le Temps IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION Michaël Didama, director of the private weekly Le Temps, was convicted on charges of defamation and incitement to hatred and sentenced to six months in jail in connection with articles describing rebel groups in eastern Chad, according to local sources.
New York, July 18, 2005—One journalist was sentenced to three years in prison and another to three months today for commentaries in the private weekly L’Observateur that criticized President Idriss Déby, according to local sources. The Committee to Protect Journalists deplores the court’s decision and calls on authorities to release the two immediately. The paper’s…
JULY 18, 2005 Updated: October 17, 2005 Ngaradoumbé Samory, L’Observateur IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION Samory, editor of the private weekly L’Observateur, was sentenced to three months in prison and a fine of 100,000 CFA francs (about U.S.$176) on charges of defaming the president and “inciting hatred.”
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by the criminal prosecution of three Chadian journalists in connection with their work. One of these journalists, Michaël Didama of the private weekly Le Temps, remains in jail in the capital, N’Djamena, more than two weeks after his initial arrest.
New York, June 22, 2005—Chadian authorities have jailed three journalists since yesterday in the capital, N’Djamena, on criminal charges stemming from critical reporting, sources told the Committee to Protect Journalists. Today, authorities arrested and jailed Michaël Didama, publication director of the private weekly Le Temps. According to local sources, Didama was charged with defamation and…