CPJ writes Ravalomanana over RFI journalist`s work permit

Dakar, Senegal, 05/31 - The Committee to Protect Journalists has expressed concern that Olivier Péguy, a correspondent for Radio France Internationale (RFI) and several other international news organisations, has been forced to leave Madagascar after the government refused to renew his work permit.

Péguy, who had been reporting from Madagascar for four years, but had to leave Sunday, told CPJ that no explanation was given for the non-renewal of his work permit.

CPJ in an open letter to President Marc Ravalomanana, urged him to make public the reasons for not renewing Péguy`s work permit, adding: "If the permit was withheld because of Péguy`s critical reporting, we urge your government to reconsider and issue a renewal immediately."

The New York-based press freedom watchdog also expressed concern at the prison sentences given to journalists working for "La Gazette de la Grande Ile," a private daily based in the Malagasy capital, Antananarivo.

It said journalists working for the paper had been repeatedly targeted with criminal defamation suits.

Most recently, publication director Rolland (also known as Lola) Rasoamaharo and editor James Ramarosaona were each sentenced on April 19 to one month in jail for criminal defamation in connection with an article published in January 2004, CPJ said.

The article alleged that employees of a State-owned real estate agency, SEIMAD, had embezzled money.

CPJ said Rasoamaharo had been given at least three other prison sentences in connection with his work in recent months. He and Ramarosaona are free pending the newspaper`s appeals.

CPJ urged Ravalomanana "to work toward decriminalizing defamation and other press offences," stressing: "While we do not dispute the right of citizens to seek redress for alleged libel, it should be a civil, not criminal, matter."

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