Journalist jailed in Djibouti

Daher Ahmed Farah, Jailed Opposition Leader

Daher Ahmed Farah, editor of the newspaper Le Renouveau, has been sentenced to three months in prison for libelling the army chief of staff, Gen. Zakaria Cheik Ibrahim. At the end of the court hearing, Farah was taken back to Djibouti's Gabode prison, from which he had been released on a lower court's decision on 23 June.
The appeal court also gave Farah an additional three months' suspended sentence, ordered him to pay 13 million Djibouti francs (about 65,000 euros) in damages, fined him 200,000 Djibouti francs (about 1,000 euros) and banned his newspaper from appearing for three months.

This is the death sentence for the only independent newspaper in djibouti.

Farah has been convicted as a result of a libel suit brought by Gen. Zakaria and the members of a military folkloric troupe, the Troupe Harbi. The newspaper had claimed in its issue of 17 April that Gen. Zakaria was using the troupe for political and personal ends.
Farah, who also heads an opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Renewal (MRD), had previously been arrested several times in recent years. In most cases he was accused of press crimes and was fined or sentenced to prison terms.
DAF-Liberté committee North american branch demands:
the unconditionnal release from prison of Mr Daher Ahmed Farah
To drop any charges led againts him
To guarantee the freedom of expression
Justice for victims of human rights violations, such as ''The massacre of Arhiba'', torture and arbitrary imprisonment.To call for an end to the impunity which those responsible for these crimes still enjoy.
To stop harassements and intimidations againts the leaders of opposition group.

Also Available a T-Shirt with the logo DAF-LIBERTÉ, if you wish to order it
Please contact M. Omar Ali spokesman of the committee at (613) 864-9031 by email : Omar.ali@sympatico.ca