Why were three journalists arrested?

The editor-in-chief of Week-End, Gérard Cateaux, as well as two journalists of Radio Plus, Josian Valère and Anabelle Volbert, have been provisionally charged with spreading false news and libel. Week-End published in Sunday 18th November issue that an important sum of money had allegedly been found in the locker of a police station in Plaines-Wilhems and Radio Plus broadcast the same news the next day.

Are they still in prison?

No. The three of them were bailed out for Rs 4,000 and an acknowledgment of debt of Rs 25,000 each. However, they are subjected to an objection to departure from the country.

Were the police right to take such action?

The law makes provision for the publication of false news with a fine of at least Rs 20,000 and a prison term of less than one year. Howeverm there is quite an outcry from members of the press stating that the police behaviour has been out of proportion. And that it is related to the government?s threats to adopt more severe laws against the press. The international organisation, Reporters sans Frontières, has also taken a firm stand against what it considers as the ?arbitrary arrest? of journalists ? the ?first one over the past 13 years?. Opposition parties have also seized the opportunity to castigate the government on this issue.