Senegal: Letter to President Abdoulaye Wade

Contributor

Your Excellency, I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization advocating for a free press and freedom of expression around the world. We wish to express our concern about the state of press freedom in Senegal, in particular, with the recent sentencing of journalists Mamadou Oumar Ndiaye and Pape Ndiaye, publication
director and reporter, respectively, of the Dakar-based weekly Le Témoin.

Dear letter writers,

Below is a letter of protest on Senegal. If you decide not to fax, you can
go to the official government Web site to email both the President
(http://www.gouv.sn/ministeres/message.cfm?sigle=PR) and Minister of Justice
Basile Senghor (http://www.gouv.sn/ministeres/message.cfm?sigle=MJ).

Thank you,
CJFE

His Excellency Abdoulaye Wade
Office of the President
Avenue Roume, BP 168
Dakar
Fax: +221 823 66 72
Email: [email protected]

7 May 2002

Your Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a
non-profit, non-governmental organization advocating for a free press and
freedom of expression around the world. We wish to express our concern about
the state of press freedom in Senegal, in particular, with the recent
sentencing of journalists Mamadou Oumar Ndiaye and Pape Ndiaye, publication
director and reporter, respectively, of the Dakar-based weekly Le Témoin.

They were each sentenced to four months' imprisonment without parole and a
fine of two million CFA francs (USD 2740) for defamation. Both journalists
were accused of "defaming" and "insulting" director Victor Cabrita, of the
Dakar-based Sainte Marie de Hann Catholic School, in a September, 2001,
article that found fault with the administration of the school and which
included comments from union members calling Cabrita "a slave driver and a
racist," and accusing him of misappropriating funds.

According to our information, the same case will be tried a second time on 6
June, because the plaintiff filed two separate complaints. This means that
Le Témoin could be sentenced a second time. The first ruling is now under
appeal.

In our opinion, the sentencing of the two journalists - who, we remind you,
were simply carrying out their professional responsibilities - is an extreme
measure and disproportionate to the charges. They demonstrate serious faults
within the Senegalese legislation and government.

The sentencing constitutes a serious blow to press freedom in Senegal, and
we ask that you do everything in your power to ensure that such legal action
not take place again in the future.

Sincerely,

Joel Ruimy
Executive Director