Case History: Djeralar Miankeol
On 28 July 2015 human rights defender Mr Djeralar Miankeol was acquitted of all charges brought against him after his arrest in mid-June for allegedly insulting a magistrate. The appeal hearing started at approximately 11 a.m. and lasted for almost 5 hours. Following exhaustive questioning relating to charges of contempt of court, the jury found the human rights defender not guilty.
Djeralar Miankeol is a human rights defender in Chad and a leader of Ngaoubourandi, an advocacy organisation working against land grabs, corruption in the petrol sector, and unlawful expropriation of farmers' land. On 28 July 2015 he was acquitted of all charges brought against him after his arrest in mid-June for allegedly insulting a magistrate. Following exhaustive questioning relating to charges of contempt of court, the jury found the human rights defender not guilty. On 7 July 2015 the High Court of Justice in Moundou convicted the human rights defender for 'contempt of court' in connection with a broadcast interview in which he denounced corrupt practices within the judiciary. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 FCFA. Following the ruling, Djeralar Miankeol was transferred from the hospital – where he was receiving treatment for malaria and typhoid fever – to prison to serve his time, thus interrupting his treatment. As a consequence of Mr Djeralar's deteriorating health, he was transferred back to the hospital on 24 July 2015 to continue his treatment. The appeal hearing was held on 28 July 2015, at the end of which his sentence was overturned.
On 28 July 2015 human rights defender Mr Djeralar Miankeol was acquitted of all charges brought against him after his arrest in mid-June for allegedly insulting a magistrate. The appeal hearing started at approximately 11 a.m. and lasted for almost 5 hours. Following exhaustive questioning relating to charges of contempt of court, the jury found the human rights defender not guilty.
On 7 July 2015 the High Court of Justice in Moundou convicted the human rights defender for 'contempt of court' in connection with a broadcast interview in which he denounced corrupt practices within the judiciary. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 FCFA. Following the ruling, Djeralar Miankeol was transferred from the hospital – where he was receiving treatment for malaria and typhoid fever – to prison to serve his time, thus interrupting his treatment. As a consequence of Mr Djeralar's deteriorating health, he was transferred back to the hospital on 24 July 2015 to continue his treatment. The appeal hearing was held on 28 July 2015, at the end of which his sentence was overturned.
On 7 July 2015, human rights defender Djeralar Miankeol was convicted and sentenced to 2 years in prison after being arrested in mid-June and charged with contempt of court.
The trial against the Djeralar Miankeol opened on 30th June at the High Court of Justice in Moundou, in South-West of the country. He was accused of «contempt of court» in connection with a broadcast interview he had given to Radio FM Liberté on 7 June. During the interview, the human rights defender discussed the issue of land grabbing in the country and reportedly denounced corrupt practices in the judiciary as an exacerbating factor. According to the defender's colleagues, he did not specifically name any members of the judiciary during the interview.
On 15 June, the human rights defender received a call from the public prosecutor in Moundou, Hassane Yacoub, who asked him to report to the prosecutor's office for an interrogation. On the same day in the afternoon, the human rights defender went to see the prosecutor. The interrogation lasted approximately fifteen minutes and focused on the radio interview of 7 June. The prosecutor reportedly then called a police officer who arrested the human rights defender without an arrest warrant. The following day, Djeralar Miankeol was charged with «contempt of court».
On the morning of 7 July, the judge sentenced the human rights defender to 2 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 FCFA. The defense lawyers have expressed their intention to appeal the conviction.
Front Line Defenders has learned that the human rights defender's health has substantially declined; and that he was admitted to a local hospital since the last week of June where he has been receiving medication for malaria and typhoid fever.
