The Right Honourable Alain Akouala
Minister of Communications
Republic of Congo

3 July 2006

Dear Minister,

We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications in 102 countries, to express our serious concern at the banning of the Brazzaville-based weekly Thalassa.

According to reports, on 28 June a Brazzaville court banned Thalassa from publication for six months. In addition, the court ordered the incineration of all copies of an edition that featured an article judged to be slanderous of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. The public prosecutor had also sought a one-year prison sentence against publication director Fortuné Bemba, and payment of a one million CFA franc fine (about US$1,900). However, the 2001 communications law does not allow for imprisonment for press offences.

Mr Bemba was charged with defamation, damaging the head of state’s honour and spreading false news. The accusations stemmed in part from an article entitled "Did Denis Sassou Nguesso poison General Casimir Bouissa Matoko and Lekoudzou?" Mr Bemba, who has appealed the verdict, was arrested and imprisoned at the Brazzaville jail on 20 April. He was released the following day, after giving a statement.

We respectfully remind you that the banning of Thalassa constitutes a clear breach of the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by numerous international conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 of the Declaration states: ’Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media, regardless of frontiers.’

We respectfully call on you to ensure that the order banning Thalassa is immediately lifted and that it is permitted to publish free from state interference. We urge you to take all necessary steps to ensure that in future your country fully observes international standards of freedom of expression.

We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Gavin O’Reilly
President
World Association of Newspapers

George Brock
President
World Editors Forum

WAN is the global organization for the newspaper industry, with formal representative status at the United Nations, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. The organization groups 18,000 newspapers in 102 countries, 11 news agencies and nine regional and world-wide press groups. WAN is non-governmental and non-profit.