Reporters sans Frontières (Paris)
16 February 2004
press release
Late in the day on 15 February 2004, journalist Saïda Azzouz, of the daily "Le Matin", and cartoonist Ali Dilem, of the daily "Liberté", were taken in for questioning at the Algiers police station. No official reason was given for their detention. Police were searching for copies of a new book by Mohamed Benchicou entitled, "Bouteflika: an Algerian imposture". Azzouz and Dilem were released a few hours later.
As the 8 April presidential election approaches, RSF urges the Algerian authorities to end the intimidation campaign against the private press and the frequent summoning of journalists. Azzouz was taken in for questioning because she owned a copy of Benchicou's book, and Dilem because he was suspected of owning the book. The organisation hopes the Algerian authorities will stop placing constraints on media outlets that may wish to acquire and give an account of the book.
On 14 February, Benchicou's residence and the offices of the daily "Le Matin" were searched. Benchicou is the paper's managing editor. Several "Le Matin" employees were later questioned by police, and eight copies of the book "Bouteflika: an Algerian imposture" were seized. The book has not been banned, however, and was expected to go on sale in France and Algeria on 16 February.
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