Niger
2007
Government cracks down on coverage of rebel attacks
New York, July 13, 2007—Coverage critical of the government’s handling of deadly attacks by an armed group of nomadic Tuareg rebels in northern Niger has led authorities in the uranium-rich West African nation to close a private newspaper and warn others to censor their reporting, according to news reports and local journalists. The bimonthly Aïr…
In Niger, court overturns conviction of journalists in defamation trial
New York, February 13, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Monday’s ruling by an appeals court in the capital Niamey to overturn the conviction of two journalists jailed for nearly four months on criminal defamation charges over an article critical of the prime minister. An appeals court repealed 18-month prison sentences handed down by a…
Attacks on the Press 2006: Niger
NIGER Authorities used a repressive press law to jail journalists despite President Mamadou Tandja’s 2004 pledge to abolish prison terms for so-called press offenses. Three journalists spent months behind bars, prompting demonstrations and international outcry. In a country suffering from chronic food shortages, the private press frequently accused public figures of corruption and the mismanagement…