VOA标准英语2010年-Ivorian Journalists Could Face Jail Ti

Theophile Kouamouo (L), a French national and the editorial director of Le Nouveau Courrier, and senior editor Saint Claver Oula (R) walk handcuffed for their trial on theft of an official document to Adibjan's Justice Palace, 19 July 2010

In Ivory Coast, the trial of three journalists detained since last week opened Monday in Abidjan. The journalists were charged with theft of an official document, after refusing to reveal their sources on a story about corruption¹ in the cocoa industry.

 

A judge will rule Wednesday in Ivory Coast in the case of three journalists who are charged with theft of an official document, diffusion² of a file still under review, and disclosure of a secret document.

Editor-in-chief, Saint-Claver Oula, and two other senior editors were arrested last week after their newspaper, Le Nouveau Courrier, published the findings of a government report into graft³ allegations in the cocoa industry.

The three editors were formally charged under the criminal code Friday, after refusing to reveal the source of their information to Ivory Coast's state prosecutor⁴.

The case has sparked condemnation⁵ from media rights groups in Ivory Coast and abroad.

The head of Ivory Coast's National Journalist Union, Mame Camara, says journalists have the right to inform the public, and the public has the right to information. He says the union condemns⁶ the arrest and detention⁷ of these journalists. He says the journalists did not steal, and according to the press code, journalists should not be detained.

A 2004 press code in Ivory Coast eliminated criminal penalties for most press offenses⁹ and prohibited the pre-trial detention of journalists.

Mohamed Keita, Africa researcher for the media rights group the Committee to Protect Journalists says the three journalists were arrested "in the line of duty", and the press code should apply.

"These journalists were arrested while carrying out their professional duties as investigative journalists," Keita said. "This is a press offense⁸, if anything. It is not a criminal offense. We feel that by charging them with theft, the public prosecutor is criminalizing investigative journalism¹⁰ in Ivory Coast."

This case, Keita says, demonstrates the need for legislation in Ivory Coast guaranteeing access to information and protection of journalists' confidential¹¹ sources.

The prosecution¹² has requested 12-month prison sentences for each of the three journalists and payment of a $20,000 fine.

But lawyers representing the journalists say the charges would not hold up in court.

A lawyer for the three journalists, Abdou Sarr, says there was no theft because the journalists received an electronic version of the document. He says the press law prohibits the detention of journalists, and it is worrisome to think that this law could be violated in order to get a journalist to reveal his source. He says that could mean that the fight for press freedom in Ivory Coast has been in vain.

The three journalists remain in prison as they await Wednesday's verdict.
 

1 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

2 diffusion   

n.流布；普及；散漫

参考例句：

• The invention of printing helped the diffusion of learning.印刷术的发明有助于知识的传播。
• The effect of the diffusion capacitance can be troublesome.扩散电容会引起麻烦。

3 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

4 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

5 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

6 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

8 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

9 offenses   

n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势

参考例句：

• It's wrong of you to take the child to task for such trifling offenses. 因这类小毛病责备那孩子是你的不对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Thus, Congress cannot remove an executive official except for impeachable offenses. 因此，除非有可弹劾的行为，否则国会不能罢免行政官员。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

10 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

11 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

12 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。