afrol News, 4 December - Senegalese Appeal court has rejected bail application by the jailed editor-in-chief of the privately-owned "24 Heures Chrono" newspaper.

Editor El Malick Seck was arrested on 28 August after his paper printed an article charging that president Wade and his son were involved in money laundering scam from an Ivory Coast bank, a story and article that Senegalese authorities have said was untrue.

Media Foundation for West Africa MFWA said Mr Seck's lawyers appealed immediately after he was handed a three-year prison sentence on 12 September for public insult and publishing false news. 24 Heures Chrono, was also banned from publication for three months.

"He was charged with four violations, including insulting the head of state, and possessing illegal documents," statement read.

Critics have said Mr Seck's conviction is the latest step in an escalating conflict between President Wade's government and independent media, which they claim is damaging West African country's reputation for a stable democracy.

The judge presiding on the case said Mr Seck failed to provide sufficient proof to back up his allegations, although the accused maintained that information used to produced an article came from reports that were publicly available.

In Senegal, tensions have been brewing between press and the government, with journalists having held demonstrations and marches charging government with trying to intimidate reporters and squash negative coverage.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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