VZCZCXRO2636
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #1088 2701611
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271611Z SEP 06 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2940
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE UNCLAS NIAMEY 001088 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT: FOR AF/W, BACHMAN; AF/RSA FOR HARPOLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:            
SUBJECT: JAILED JOURNALISTS FAIL ON APPEAL: 18 MONTHS 
PRISON FOR EACH 
 
REF: A. NIAMEY 865 
 
      B. NIAMEY 847 
 
 1.  Mamane Abou and Oumarou Keita, jailed publisher and 
editor-in-chief of Niger's leading opposition weekly, "Le 
Republican," had appealed their September 1 convictions and 
eighteen month prison sentences to the Niamey Court of 
Appeals (reftel A). On September 25, that court ruled against 
them - re-affirming the sentences, which both men have 
effectively been serving since their arrest and imprisonment 
on August 4. Given the weakness of their legal case (reftel 
A), the result was not surprising. However, to the extent 
that the charges reflected an attempt by the Government of 
Niger (GON) and Prime Minister Hama Amadou to punish "Le 
Republican" for its earlier, unimpeachable, reporting on 
corruption issues, the new verdict is a sad one for Nigerien 
civil society and the free press that often best represents 
it. 
 
 2.  Meanwhile, on September 15, Salifou Dago, editor of the 
independent newspaper "L'Enqueteur," was sentenced to six 
months imprisonment for "tarnishing the image of the 
country," after his paper printed a story relating to an 
alleged human sacrifice in the Niamey cemetery. According to 
Press FSN, Dago has a reputation for printing rumors and 
erroneous information, and there is no evidence to suggest 
that this story was any exception; however, post sources 
indicate that the GON's response may have been more forceful 
due to the fact that the story gained considerable currency 
in the Nigerien street. The director of the same paper was 
detained for questioning by the Detective Branch of the 
Nigerien National Police on September 22 after writing an 
article on the public education funds scandal (reftel B), 
which featured documents obtained from the Ministry of Basic 
Education. Ironically, the director himself had played a 
minor role in the education scandal. He recently reimbursed 
the GON 300,000 CFA (approximately $580.00) after having 
allegedly sold inferior grade paper to the school system. He 
was released on September 25. 
 
 3.  Finally, Ibrahim Manzo, the editor of another small 
private weekly, "L'Autre Observateur" was called for 
questioning by the Niamey prosecutor after he published an 
article accusing the director of the GON's public 
transportation authority of embezzling funds. The editor is 
scheduled to appear before the Niamey prosecutor to address 
the director's allegations of defamation on September 29. 
 
 4.  COMMENT: Collectively, these vignettes paint a picture of 
the ongoing clash between often unprofessionalmedia and a 
government with little respect for te concept of press 
freedom. Since PM Amadou's Auust 5 press conference in which 
he threatened towield Niger's criminal defamation laws 
against unprofessional journalists (reftel A), the pace of 
rosecutions has accelerated. Whether commenting o issues 
profound or bizarre - and the above examles suggest the 
range - Nigerien journalists areat risk of costly legal 
retaliation. At best, this spate of prosecutions is a poor 
way to curb the excesses of a loquacious and immature private 
press; at worst, it represents a real step back for a country 
that has realized significant advances in press freedom over 
the last fifteen years. END COMMENT 
ALLEN