Madagascar: Two journalists sentenced to three-month prison terms

Toronto — The following document was released by Reporters sans frontieres (RSF), Paris: RSF is concerned by the sentencing of two journalists to three-month prison terms.

According to RSF's information, on 28 December 1998, Harry Rahajason and Christian Chatefaux, journalist and editor-in-chief, respectively, of the newspaper "L'Express de Madagascar" were sentenced to three months in prison. Rahajason was found guilty of contempt of court, further to a complaint filed by M. Ralantomahefa, public prosecutor of the Antsirabe republic at the time of the case. The journalist was accused of having insulted the magistrate in a June 1997 article. As for Chatefaux, he was sentenced for having delayed the publication of the plaintiff's right to a response for too long a period.

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