Algerian court releases prominent press publisher

Press reports said that the court of the city of Wahran in Algeria released the director general of the al-Rai al-Am press foundation Ahmad Bin Naoum after 11 months in detentions.

Bin Naoum was held in custody at a time when the director of "Le Matin" paper Muhammad Bi Chicco is still detained since June 14, 2004 after he was sentenced to two years imprisonment at a complaint filed by the ministry of the interior on charge of violating "the law of monitoring current exchange and capital transfer" after stocks were found in his back in Algiers airport in August 2003.

In the same context, hard sentences were issued on June ranging between two months and 6 months against three Algerian journalists.

Jiurnalist Kamal Omrani from "Le Soire" paper was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and the director of the paper Fouad Bu Ghanem of 6 months imprisonment under the charge of defaming the president of the country.

The caricaturist in "Liberty" paper Ali Deilam was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment in a case filed against him by the ministry of defense over publishing a caricature in which he ridiculed army officers.