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DAKAR – Most of Senegal’s independent newspapers suspended publication yesterday, keeping newspapers off the stands to protest the arrest of an editor who printed accusations of corruption and political interference in the judiciary.

Many privately owned radio stations joined the news boycott as well, airing only music. Authorities jailed Madiambal Diagne, chief editor of Le Quotidien daily, late Friday, after calling him in for questioning the day before.Prosecutors accused Diagne of “dissemination of false news, of confidential administrative documents, and news that could incite trouble” after his newspaper on June 23 published what it said was a confidential letter from the country’s finance minister to president Abdoulaye Wade.The minister’s letter reportedly briefed Wade on the progress of an investigation into alleged embezzlement, corruption and mismanagement by some former and current officials in the customs agency.Diagne also wrote an article accusing Wade’s administration of attempting undue interference with judicial appointments.The July 1 article was headlined, “These ‘good judges’ that Wade does not want.”Senegalese government spokesman, Aziz Sow, denied allegations by local newspapers that Diagne’s arrest was an attempt to intimidate journalists.”We are not trying to put people in jail.Since the new administration came to power, the president has tried to push for total press freedom,” Sow said.But Senegal’s local and foreign press associations condemned the arrest.A rights group called for Diagne’s immediate release.”We express our deepest concern regarding the serious and repeated breach of freedom of expression,” the group, the African Network for the Defense of Human Rights, said.Wade’s four-year-old administration has acted against journalists before.In October 2003, Senegal expelled a French journalist working for Radio France Internationale, accusing her of unbalanced coverage of peace talks by separatist groups in the southern region of Casamance.Sophie Malibeau’s coverage included an interview with hard-line separatist Alexandre Djiba, who called for all independence activists to boycott the talks.Wade, a long-time opposition leader, was elected in 2000, peacefully taking power from a party that had held it since the Senegal’s 1960 independence from France.Senegal has an active national media and has become the chief West Africa base for international news organisations since 1999, when a coup in long-stable Ivory Coast ushered in years of trouble there.- Nampa-APAuthorities jailed Madiambal Diagne, chief editor of Le Quotidien daily, late Friday, after calling him in for questioning the day before.Prosecutors accused Diagne of “dissemination of false news, of confidential administrative documents, and news that could incite trouble” after his newspaper on June 23 published what it said was a confidential letter from the country’s finance minister to president Abdoulaye Wade.The minister’s letter reportedly briefed Wade on the progress of an investigation into alleged embezzlement, corruption and mismanagement by some former and current officials in the customs agency.Diagne also wrote an article accusing Wade’s administration of attempting undue interference with judicial appointments.The July 1 article was headlined, “These ‘good judges’ that Wade does not want.”Senegalese government spokesman, Aziz Sow, denied allegations by local newspapers that Diagne’s arrest was an attempt to intimidate journalists.”We are not trying to put people in jail.Since the new administration came to power, the president has tried to push for total press freedom,” Sow said.But Senegal’s local and foreign press associations condemned the arrest.A rights group called for Diagne’s immediate release.”We express our deepest concern regarding the serious and repeated breach of freedom of expression,” the group, the African Network for the Defense of Human Rights, said.Wade’s four-year-old administration has acted against journalists before.In October 2003, Senegal expelled a French journalist working for Radio France Internationale, accusing her of unbalanced coverage of peace talks by separatist groups in the southern region of Casamance.Sophie Malibeau’s coverage included an interview with hard-line separatist Alexandre Djiba, who called for all independence activists to boycott the talks.Wade, a long-time opposition leader, was elected in 2000, peacefully taking power from a party that had held it since the Senegal’s 1960 independence from France.Senegal has an active national media and has become the chief West Africa base for international news organisations since 1999, when a coup in long-stable Ivory Coast ushered in years of trouble there.- Nampa-AP