The first week of 2004 brings the good news of the release of Moroccan editors Ali Lmrabet and Mohammed al-Herd. In Tunisia, however, editor Sihem Bensedrine was attacked and assaulted in the beginning of the year.
In Algeria, Youssef Rezzoug and Fatma Zohra Khalfi, editor-in-chief of the daily "Le Matin" and a journalist with the news agency Algrie Presse Service received two-month suspended prison sentences on 30 December. The journalists were sentenced in connection with a protest assembly they attended in support of two detained journalists. In addition to the suspended sentences, Rezzoug and Khalfi were each fined 2,000 dinars (22 euros).
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, nine union members from the state broadcaster Congolese National Radio-television (RTNC) were sentenced to twelve months in prison on 5 January. The court also ordered the journalists to pay US$2,500 each in damages and interest for "defamation" and "slanderous denunciations" against former communications and press minister Kikaya bin Karubi. In February 2003, the journalists called for the resignation of Kikaya following the alleged embezzlement by Kikaya’s ministry of "two transmitters from an equipment shipment purchased by the [state and] the embezzlement of funds that the RTNC had collected in rent."
In Morocco, Ali Lmrabet, owner and editor of the weeklies "Demain" and "Douman", and Mohammed al-Herd, editor of the weekly "Al-Sharq" were pardoned King Mohammed VI on 7 Janaury. The two journalists had spent more than more than seven months in prison for articles they had published in their respective papers.
In Niger, Mamane Abou, editor of "Le Republicain" newspaper was freed on probation on 6 January. Abou was sentenced to six months in prison in November for an article published in July which was deemed defamatory to the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister of Niger.
In Tunisia, Sihem Bensedrine, editor of the online magazine Kalima, was reportedly attacked on 5 January. The assault resulted in injuries and bruising to Mrs Bensedrine. Some reports suggest that her attackers may have been working for the security forces.
In Zambia, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) ordered the community-based commercial radio station Breeze FM to stop relaying British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) programmes on 1 January. In a solidarity move, Zane Ibrahim, executive director of Cape Town-based Bush Radio, called on the government to reconsider its decision and allow Breeze FM to continue broadcasting the BBC programmes. Also in Zambia, the Lusaka High Court blocked a deportation order against "The Post" newspaper columnist Roy Clarke on January 5. Clarke, who is a British citizen, is accused of insulting President Levy Mwanawasa and calling two of his ministers "baboons". According to reports, Clarke is in hiding to elude deportation. Clarke has lived and worked in Zambia for over 30 years.
In Zimbabwe, Father Nigel Johnson, station manager of Radio Dialogue FM, was arrested while filming footage for a music video on 2 January. According to reports, police charged Johnson under the Miscellaneous Offences Act. He was released the next day. The video camera was returned on his release. On 5 January, the police picked up Johnson from the Radio Dialogue FM offices in Bulawayo for further questioning about the activities of the aspiring community radio station.