The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the African regional organization of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), condemns in the strongest terms the arrest and the detention of three Ivorian journalists working with the Nouveau Courrier newspaper in Abidjan. The three journalists, Saint-Claver Oula, Stéphane Guédé and Théophile Kouamouo, respectively the editor-in-chief, director of the publication and managing editor of the Nouveau Courrier newspaper, were arrested on 13 July on the orders of the prosecutor in Abidjan, Raymond Tchimou Fehou. They were accused of "stealing administrative documents and publishing investigations report into a legal case before it was presented to judges", after they had initially been ordered to disclose their source of information for their article. When the journalists refused to do so, the prosecutor ordered their arrest and detention. "Leveling fabricated charges against the Ivorian journalists for upholding their fundamental right of not disclosing the source of information is a violation of press freedom. This uncalled for and obnoxious act is meant to send fear into the journalistic fraternity. It is meant to dissuade journalists from reporting sensitive, scandalous and critical issues by instilling fear of reprisals in them. This is an abuse of power of office and we shall not sit back and watch," said Omar Faruk Osman, FAJ President. "We demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the allegations and the expedient release of our colleagues." The three journalists have appeared before magistrates twice since their arrest but, strangely, the court sessions have been adjourned on both occasions in what is a clear case of complicity and denial of justice by the Ivorian Judiciary. "We are not even sure that the next date for the court appearance, July 26, will take place. This is clearly a case of justice delayed and therefore denied," said Osman who downplayed the likelihood of the verdict being delivered on the set date. He wondered why the journalists have not been given bail pending the hearing and determination of the matter. "The penalty sought by the prosecutor is an outrage," Osman said of the one-year jail sentence for each journalist, 10 million CFA Francs fine, suspension of the paper and confiscation of the paper's computer being sought by the prosecutor. FAJ stands in solidarity with its affiliate, Union nationale des journalistes de Côte d'Ivoire (UNJCI), in its efforts to free detained journalists. "It appears that it was not enough for the Ivorian Government to arrest the journalist as it went on to detain them and, to add insult to injury, is seeking to shut down the publication, rendering the journalists ineffective in their chosen profession. This flies in the face of the internationally recognized freedom of expression tenets that should not be abused in modern society. The Ivorian Government must wake up to this reality and release our colleagues," Osman said. FAJ holds the strong view that reference to secret or classified information, pretensions to national or public order and similar caveats are hollow excuses meant to frustrate the free flow of information to the detriment of both journalists and the public. "Freedom of the Press calls for independence of journalists and the media, the right to constructive criticism and the right to access all forms of information. By arresting the journalists, the Ivorian Government is showing its aversion to these principles that serve as the cornerstone of any democracy. Unfortunately, the Ivorian Government has shown insensitivity on this matter and is likely to roll back on democratic gains being experienced by the free world if it continues to incarcerate journalists," he declared. Source: worldnewspapers.com