Reporters without borders urges dismissal of case after ministry seeks one year jail sentence against journalist
| Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
| Publication Date | 22 October 2008 |
| Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Reporters without borders urges dismissal of case after ministry seeks one year jail sentence against journalist, 22 October 2008, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4900267d1e.html [accessed 27 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Reporters Without Borders said today it was shocked that the public ministry had called for a one-year jail sentence against journalist Noureddine Boukraa, at a court hearing in Annaba, 600 kilometres east of the capital Algiers on 13 October 2008. Sentence is due on 26 October.
Boukraa, who worked for the daily newspaper Ennahar, was convicted of three charges after the public security chief in Annaba, Draia Messaoud, laid a complaint over an article on 12 November 2007, in which the journalist accused members of the local police force of influence-peddling.
He was charged with "breaching the confidentiality of an investigation by using classified documents", "damaging the reputation of a constitutional state body" and "defamation". Messaoud, who is a civil party to the case, is claiming 60,000 dinars (700 euros) in damages.
The journalist obtained his information from a former head of the security branch of the police force, who has also been charged. Boukraa was held in custody from March to June 2008.
"The court has cast doubt on my profession as a journalist by charging me with telling the truth", Boukraa told Reporters Without Borders. He said the judges did not contest the reliability of what he reported but the fact of divulging the information.
"I am in now way obliged to preserve secrecy when an official stops respecting his commitment to public service and is motivated by personal gain", he added.
"Noureddine Boukraa is facing prison for having exposed nepotism within some services of the police. This case shows how some representatives of the public ministry are subjugated to local bosses and their highly-placed protectors," the worldwide press freedom organisation said.
"It would be completely unacceptable for the journalist to be jailed for having sought to inform the public about certain abuses. We urge the court in Annaba to dismiss and close the case", it added.
Boukraa has now left Ennahar and is working for the daily newspaper Algérie News.
Algeria is ranked 121st out of 173 countries on Reporters Without Borders' world press freedom rankings released on 22 October 2008. For more information.
