Chadian journalist arrested two days after launching new magazine

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the arbitrary detention of Chadian journalist Martin Inoua Doulguet, the publisher of a new quarterly magazine called Salam Info, who was arrested yesterday, just two days after the magazine appeared for the first time on newsstands in the capital, N’Djamena. The police arrested him on a forgery charge on the grounds that he launched his news and analysis magazine in N’Djamena after obtaining the required publishing permit in the southern city of Bongor. He was interrogated by a prosecutor yesterday and is currently in the custody of the N’Djamena judicial police.

“We call for Martin Inoua Doulguet’s immediate release because the accusation brought against does not, under any circumstances, constitute grounds for prolonged detention,” RSF said. “The authorities have a duty to encourage journalists to publish, not to censor them. ”

Chad is ranked 121st out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index.