From: "Mohamed Keita" <mkeita@cpj.org>
To: "risingvoices@googlegroups.com" <risingvoices@googlegroups.com>, "renata.avila.pinto@gmail.com" <renata.avila.pinto@gmail.com>, "samibengharbia@gmail.com" <samibengharbia@gmail.com>, "jilliancyork@gmail.com" <jilliancyork@gmail.com>, "pakysse2@gmail.com" <pakysse2@gmail.com>, "markdj@projectbrainsaver.com" <markdj@projectbrainsaver.com>, "africa@globalvoicesonline.org" <africa@globalvoicesonline.org>, "africa@globalvoicesonline.org" <africa@globalvoicesonline.org>, "solana.larsen@gmail.com" <solana.larsen@gmail.com>, "rmac@hqu.hk" <rmac@hqu.hk>, "markdj@projectbrainsaver.com" <markdj@projectbrainsaver.com>
Cc:
Subject: Re: [Rising Voices] Rising Voices Grantee T. Kouamouo Arrested in Cote d'Ivoire Yesterday
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:21:41 +0100
We Spoke with the defense lawyer of Théophile, Stéphane and Saint-Claver on Thursday. The journalists are all well except for Saint-Claver, who has to see a doctor. The lawyer was still preparing his legal strategy. There are no access to information law in ivory coast and prosecutor wants to treat this as a common law offense instead of an “offense” under the press code (which does not allow pre-trial detention). See our alert below for more info. We made sure to pass on the message to Théophile that he is receiving a lot of support from allover the world.
Best,
Mohamed Keita
AFRICA Advocacy Coordinator
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS
330 7th Avenue, 11th Fl, New York, NY 10001
www.CPJ.org :: 
Twitter: africamedia_cpj
From: Mohamed Keita
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 7:59 PM
To: Mohamed Keita
Subject: FW: Ivory Coast state prosecutor detains three journalists over sources
Ivory Coast state prosecutor detains three journalists over sources
http://bit.ly/cbAk3H
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 | Phone: (212) 465-1004 | Fax: (212) 465-9568 | Web: www.cpj.org
Ivory Coast state prosecutor detains three journalists over sources
New York, July 15, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the arrest of three journalists in Ivory Coast who have been detained since Tuesday, when they refused to disclose sources for an investigative report detailing the results of a government probe into corruption in the coffee and cocoa export trade, according to local journalists and news reports.
Ivorian State Prosecutor Raymond Tchimou, who summoned staffers from the private daily Le Nouveau Courrier—Managing Editor Stéphane Guédé, News Editor Théophile Kouamouo, and Editor-in-Chief Saint-Claver Oula—on Tuesday morning, accused the journalists of stealing confidential documents, defense lawyer Désiré Gueu told CPJ. Tuesday’s edition of Le Nouveau Courrier carried a front-page story that detailed the results of a 137-page report by the public prosecutor’s office on 23 industry figures charged with corruption in an ongoing investigation ordered by President Laurent Gbagbo in 2007.
A dozen police officers raided the newspaper’s office on Tuesday afternoon looking for the leaked report. They searched computers and seized Oula’s laptop, Le Nouveau Courrier reporter Frank Toti told CPJ.
“We call on the Ivorian authorities to respect the law that bans pretrial detentions of journalists,” said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. “Arresting journalists for refusing to name their confidential sources only undermines a vital public service—investigative journalism. We call on State Prosecutor Raymond Tchimou to release our colleagues immediately.”
Kouamouo, a French citizen of Cameroonian descent, had announced the publication of Tuesday’s story as part of a five-part series on his blog and Twitter account. Kouamouo, whose pioneering blogging in Ivory Coast has been supported by Global Voices’ Rising Voices initiative, has drawn worldwide support from online friends and supporters. As of Thursday, more than 150 signatures have been collected in an online petition for his release.
Ivory Coast’s 2004 press law banned pre-trial detention of journalists, but this is the second time Tchimou has summoned and arrested journalists for independent coverage of sensitive issues, according to CPJ research.
Journalist Guy-André Keiffer has been missing since his kidnapping in Ivory Coast in 2004 while investigating corruption into the cocoa industry. The country produces 40 percent of the world’s cocoa crop and is a leading producer of coffee, according to U.S. State Department statistics.
URL > http://cpj.org/2010/07/ivory-coast-detains-three-journalists-over-sources.php CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom around the world. From: Sami Ben Gharbia [mailto:samibengharbia@gmail.com] This is a sad news, let's do something for him, like endorsing the already launched campaign by his colleagues and friends. I created a profile for him on Threatened Voices, and will add the 2 other profiles of the arrested ones. It's very sad news, we must do something for him. On Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 12:47 PM, Mark Aldiss <markdj@projectbrainsaver.com> wrote: Google translate copy of petition Journalists claim free access to all information sources and the right to freely investigate all facts that affect public life. The secrecy of public or private affairs may be opposed in this case the reporter that an exception under exprimés.Forcer reasons clearly a journalist to reveal his sources, it effectively put an end to investigative reporting and reduce the work analyze the performance or decisions of the actors. To play extras and cheerleaders. To stifle journalisme.Le Attorney Tchimou should recognize the protection of journalistic sources and should be given time to challenge the new mail search warrants in the court. There are many defects in procedures that are painful to the journalistic community as a whole. This needs working on - sorry my French is not good enough Good luck Theophile Having just returned from Côte d'Ivoire after living there most of -----Original Message----- Dear friends, Its very bad news. No save place for activists. I wish we can do anything to help. Dr.Amira Mostafa Executive Director Arab World Center Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone from Zain Jordan On Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 3:52 PM, Renata Avila Pinto Dear Lova, Is there a way we can help him in more direct, effective ways like collecting money to hire a good lawyer, sending memos to the most important Aid Agencies, etc.? I am 100% ignorant about the political background in Cote d´Ivoire but sometimes I feel that we can do much more than just signing petitions. Let me know and I will be happy to collaborate in any possible way. The less time they spend in prison the better. Renata
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 8:34 AM
To: Mark Aldiss
Cc: risingvoices@googlegroups.com; Miquel Hudin; Mohamed Keita; Jillian York
Subject: Re: [Rising Voices] Rising Voices Grantee T. Kouamouo Arrested in Cote d'Ivoire Yesterday
--
Best regards, sami ben gharbia | سامي بن غربيّة
advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org
threatened.globalvoicesonline.org NL: +31-630319419 | DE: +49-15153907571
Blog: samibengharbia.com
Gtalk: samibengharbia | Skype: samibeng
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nawaat.org | cybversion.org | babtounes.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Stéphane Ramananarivo [mailto:pakysse2@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 10:45 AM
To: risingvoices@googlegroups.com
Cc: Mohamed Keita; Sami Ben Gharbia; Jillian York
Subject: Re: [Rising Voices] Rising Voices Grantee T. Kouamouo Arrested in Cote d'Ivoire Yesterday
On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:24:37 +0100, Miquel Hudin <mhudin@gmail.com> wrote:
this year, this doesn't come as a shock. The Gbagbo/Soro regime is
thuggish and quite frustrating in their systematic dismantling of what
was once West Africa's star economy. Theophile most likely has adequate representation as he is quite well
connected in Abidjan, although it's a tricky situation for him given
that he's a foreign national from Cameroon. Given the rather undeveloped blogging community, probably the best way
to help him out would be to get traditional publications to pick up
the piece and put a bit of pressure on the regime. The BBC, RFI, and
Reuters all have correspondents based in Abidjan. -miquel
From: amiramostafam@gmail.com [mailto:amiramostafam@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 7:14 PM
To: risingvoices@googlegroups.com
Cc: Mohamed Keita; Sami Ben Gharbia; Jillian York
Subject: Re: [Rising Voices] Rising Voices Grantee T. Kouamouo Arrested in Cote d'Ivoire Yesterday
<renata.avila.pinto@gmail.com> wrote:
On Jul 14, 2010, at 2:25 PM, Lova Rakotomalala wrote:
Abidjan Blog Camps, a Rising Voices grantee, was arrested along with
three journalist colleagues for posting classified documents on Cofee
and Cocoa trade. Kouamouo recently joined a newspaper called Nouveau
Courrier d’Abidjan and was asked to reveal the source of his
information. The three journalists refused and were arrested
immediately seemingly without appropriate due process. I think it would be good for our community if we could show some
support by signing and spreading this petition (in French) to support
him. So far, there is only 46 signatures:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/kouamouo/#signForm The work of investigative report is a tedious and dangerous one,
especially in maturing democracies where the judicial system is still
finding its way. Kouamouo is in jail because he wanted to protect his
sources. This act of courage in journalism will probably go quietly
if we do not support it publicly. I am sure Kouamouo, his colleagues and the bloggers they trained in
Cote d'Ivoire would appreciate the support. Reporters without Borders article [fr]:
http://fr.rsf.org/cote-d-ivoire-trois-journalistes-arretes-pour-14-07-2010,37950.html Link on GV: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/07/14/cote-divoire3-journalists-including-theophile-kouamouo-arrested-for-posting-classified-documents-on-coffee-and-cocoa/ Regards, Lova
