IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
> _________________________________________________________________
>
> ALERT - MAURITANIA
>
> 9 July 2002
>
> Newspaper censored by the authorities
>
> SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
>
> (RSF/IFEX) - The latest issue of the weekly newspaper "La Tribune" has
been
> banned, apparently because it contained criticism of recent government
> efforts to interfere with the election of the president of the national
bar
> association.
>
> "This shows that despite the government saying it favours a "free, strong
> and professional" press, it continues to use the notorious Article 11 of
the
> press law to punish newspapers that mention what it sees as taboo
subjects,"
> said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard in a letter to Interior Minister
> Lemrabott Sidi Mahmoud Ould Cheikh Ahmed. At least five newspapers have
been
> censored by the ministry since June 2001.
>
> The Interior Ministry refused to allow the 2 July 2002 issue of the
> French-language weekly newspaper "La Tribune" (no.165) to be printed, in
> accordance with Article 11 of the press law. The decision appears to have
> been prompted by an article in the issue entitled "Bar Association
> Election", which criticised the government's failed attempt to prevent
> Mahfoudh Ould Bettah's re-election as the association's president at a 27
> June meeting.
>
> RSF recalls that the managing editor of "La Tribune", Mohamed Fall Ould
> Oumere, was arrested on 12 April for investigating the activities of a
> non-officially recognised organisation called "Conscience et résistance".
He
> was released on 21 April (see IFEX alerts of 1 May and 16 April 2002).
>
> For further information, contact Jean-François Julliard at RSF, 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.fr
>
> The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of RSF.
> In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
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