IVORY COAST: Reactions to court ruling that freed but fined three journalists arrested for publishing a report on corruption in the nation's cocoa sector

Record ID: 182028

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Reactions to court ruling that freed but fined three journalists arrested for publishing a report on corruption in the nation's cocoa sector
  • Date: 27th July 2010
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (JULY 27, 2010) (REUTERS) NEWSPAPER HEADLINE "THE JUSTICE FREES THREE JOURNALISTS"/ "LA JUSTICE RELAXE LES TROIS JOURNALISTES" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE READING NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
  • Embargoed: 11th August 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Legal System
  • Reuters ID: LVA2RJ3IC42Y1EZUENS0RMV8VYGJ
  • Story Text: Ivorians reacted on Tuesday (July 27) to the news that three journalists arrested for publishing a confidential government report into corruption into the top grower's cocoa sector were freed by a national court.
    "They should have had proof, proper, palpable proof, in order to charge them. But what they produced as proof was unfounded, so they shouldn't have been arrested," said mechanic Emile Ouedraogo as he read the headlines in Abidjan.
    "I think we should let them do their work. And those who call themselves judges should take measures to protect their (the journalists') investigations," added newspaper vendor Kouadio Koffi.
    The journalists were freed on Monday (July 26) and handed a combined fine of 5 million CFA francs ($9,840).
    Their daily newspaper, Le Nouveau Courrier, was suspended for two weeks.
    The three, who left the courthouse to cheering crowds of colleagues and friends, had refused to reveal their source, who leaked them the findings of a probe into the Coffee and Cocoa Bourse (BCC) and other regulatory bodies.
    Media freedom watchdogs, transparency groups and the French and U.S. governments had all criticised the arrests and called for their release.
    There is no criminal penalty in Ivory Coast for publishing information, but theft of public documents can carry a jail sentence.
    At least 20 cocoa officials were detained in 2008 in a graft crackdown in Ivory Coast. Most remain in jail and have yet to go on trial.
    Public prosecutor Raymond Tchimou had said two of the journalists were charged with stealing a confidential public document and publication of a document not yet public, and the other with receiving a stolen document.
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