Thursday, February 7, 2008

Niger journalist out on bail; investigation continues

From VOA

An appeals court in Niger has ruled that detained journalist Ibrahim Manzo should be granted a provisional release.

Manzo's attorney Moussa Coulibaly says his client will be freed Wednesday after spending four months in prison.

The lawyer says Manzo, chief editor of the newspaper "Air Info," will remain under investigation.

He was detained in October on charges of "criminal association" for allegedly having contact with the Tuareg rebels of the Movement of Niger People for Justice (MNJ).

Last year, the government of Niger temporarily shut down "Air Info" because of the paper's coverage of an attack by rebels on government forces.

From Reporters Without Borders:

“We hail this sensible decision by the judicial authorities and we are delighted for Diallo, his family and colleagues,” the press freedom organisation said. “We hope this bodes well for next week, when the same court is to issue a decision on the case of another detained journalist, Moussa Kaka.”

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