Benin: Journalist sentenced to six months in prison for defamation
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is disturbed at the prison sentence handed down to journalist Jean-Baptiste Hounkonnou on 16 March 2004 for "defamation". Hounkonnou, the publication director of the daily "Le Nouvel Essor", was sent to Parakou (Centre-Est) prison immediately after the trial to begin serving his sentence. The verdict stems from a December 2003 "Le Nouvel Essor" article in which a woman was accused of adultery.
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________
ACTION ALERT - BENIN
19 March 2004
Journalist sentenced to six months in prison for defamation
SOURCE: Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC), International PEN, London
(WiPC/IFEX) - The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is
disturbed at the prison sentence handed down to journalist Jean-Baptiste
Hounkonnou on 16 March 2004 for "defamation".
Hounkonnou, the publication director of the daily "Le Nouvel Essor", was
sent to Parakou (Centre-Est) prison immediately after the trial to begin
serving his sentence. The verdict stems from a December 2003 "Le Nouvel
Essor" article in which a woman was accused of adultery.
Without commenting on the contents of the article in question, International
PEN reiterates its view that a prison sentence is disproportionate to the
offence of defamation. PEN therefore calls on the Beninois authorities to
quash the criminal charges against Hounkonnou, order his release and deal
with the matter in the civil courts.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to the president:
- calling for the prison sentence against Hounkonnou to be dropped
- asking the authorities to quash the criminal charges against Hounkonnou
and deal with the matter in the civil courts
APPEALS TO:
President Mathieu Kerekou
Place de l'Independance
Boîte Postale 08 0612
Cotonou, Bénin
Fax: +229 30 06 36
E-mail: [email protected]
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
For further information, contact Sara Birch, WiPC, International PEN, 9/10
Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7AT, U.K., tel: +44 207
253 3226, fax: +44 207 253 5711, e-mail: [email protected],
[email protected], Internet: www.internationalpen.org.uk
The information contained in this action alert is the sole responsibility of
WiPC. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
WiPC.
_________________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
489 College Street, Suite 403, Toronto (ON) M6G 1A5 CANADA
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: [email protected] general e-mail [email protected]
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/
__________________________________________________________________