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Alouni's Verdict…Freedom of Expression Concerns
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Alouni’s
verdict drew the ire of media groups.
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Doha,
September 26, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The ruling
by a Spanish court Monday, September 26, to send Al-Jazeera reporter
Tayseer Alouni to seven-year-term in jail drew fiery reactions from the
all-news channel, media groups and law experts, who all dismissed the
verdict as politically motivated and a "dangerous precedent"
in the field of reporting.
"It
sets a dangerous precedent, particularly for anyone who seeks to
interview bin Laden in the future," said Jean-Francois Julliard,
news editor of Reporters Without Borders, a leading Paris-based media
watchdog group.
Doha-based
Al-Jazeera denounced the sentencing of its correspondent, asking the
court to consider Alouni’s deteriorating health condition and release
him on bail.
According
to Reuters, Alouni was found guilty by Spain's High Court of
“collaborating” with a terrorist group but acquitted of being a
member of Al-Qaeda.
The
court, however, did not explain the reason behind the accusations and it
did not explain what it means by the word “collaboration,” said
Fatima, Alouni’s wife to Al-Jazeera.
He
was among 18 people sentenced at the trial, the biggest of suspected
"Islamist militants" in Europe, reported Reuters.
In
response to the Court’s accusation of acting as a financial courier to
Al-Qaeda while in Afghanistan, Alouni told the court he delivered $4,000
to Yarkas, also known as Abu Dahdah, but said he was doing a favor for
an acquaintance. He denied close ties to Yarkas, reported Reuters.
The
court ruled that prosecutors had not proved that Yarkas took part in the
Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center.
However,
it claimed that there was evidence that he was aware of the
"sinister plans" for the attacks and he had helped think up
the plot, working with a radical cell in Hamburg.
An
interview with Bin Laden, five weeks after the attacks on the United
States on Sept. 11, 2001, was the prelude to Alouni’s arrest and later
charge with "terrorist activities".
Black
Day
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Security
was tight during the trial. (Reuters)
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Al-Jazeera
described the verdict as “unfair.”
"This
is a black day for the Spanish judiciary which has deviated from all the
norms of international justice," Al-Jazeera news editor Ahmed
al-Sheikh told the station.
"It
is a verdict that is based on circumstantial evidence at best. This
verdict is a big shock for us. We are convinced of Tayseer's
innocence," he added from Madrid, where he attended the sentencing,
reported Reuters.
"We
still believe that our colleague Taysseer is innocent of the charges
against him," Al-Jazeera director general Waddah Khanfar told
Agence France- Presse (AFP).
A
European media watchdog said the decision to jail him would set alarm
bells ringing among investigative journalists.
"Journalists
have always investigated terrorist groups and their activities. It's
part of our job," said Jean-Francois Julliard, news editor of
Reporters without Borders.
Fadi
Al-Qadi, spokesman of the Human Rights Watch, criticized the measures
taken by Spain in fighting terrorism, describing them as “Extremist
measures” to fight extremism.
He
also dubbed Alouni's sentence as politically motivated.
The
Arab Committee for defending Journalists, on its part, condemned the
court’s decision, saying that it is a "politicized” one,
subjected to political manipulation.
Robert
Show, spokesman of the International Association for Journalism told
Al-Jazeera the court was biased in issuing its decision and that Tayseer
should be bailed out.
He
further said on a live program Monday that it will be ridiculous to deny
that being a Muslim Arab and working for an Arab news channel has
nothing to do with Tayseer’s case.
Appeals
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His wife vowed to appeal the "unfair" ruling. (Reuters)
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According
to AFP, Al-Jazeera vowed to appeal the "unfair" conviction and
sentencing of Alouni for allegedly collaborating with Al-Qaeda.
"The
verdict is very disappointing and we consider it unfair and we will
contact immediately the legal defense team to study the possibilities of
appealing it," Khanfar told AFP.
Fatima,
Alouni’s wife, told Al-Jazeera she would appeal before other courts
until her husband is out.
Many
legal experts said that the court’s verdict in the case of Alouni can
be appealed.
First
arrested in September 2003, Alouni was later released on bail on health
grounds as he suffers from a weak heart and back problems, only to be
arrested again and jailed in Madrid in November 2004.
He
was released to house arrest in March but taken back into custody on
September 16.
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